This is one of several new introductions to Portugal’s SNS National Health Service discussed at the Portugal and Health Summit, which saw some 8,000 participants and took place in Lisbon this week between Tuesday and Thursday.
According to the head of the Health Ministry’s Shared Services department (SPMS), Henrique Martins, the digitalisation of booklets will be a generalised tool by the end of the year, with patients’ vaccinations forming part of a national electronic vaccine register that can be accessed by any SNS doctor or nurse.
To put its importance into context, Mr. Martins explained that it “could be fundamental for emergency ward doctors who need to know if, for example, a patient’s tetanus jab is up to date.”
Another advantage, Mr. Martins said, is that patients will be able to get an injection at any health centre in the country.
Patients will have access to their vaccination records via the citizens’ area on the SNS’ website.
Data from 100,000 patients has already been added to the electronic register as part of the pilot phase of the project conducted along the Alentejo coast.
The SNS’ goal is to expand the project to cover the entire country by the end of this year.
Other topics discussed during the three-day Portugal eHealth Summit, included paperless medical exams and the progressive substitution and modernisation of health centre software.