In cooperation with the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic, ICZ completed a pilot version of a simple solution for transmitting information on requests for COVID-19 disease tests from general practitioners and hygiene stations to testing points. The Czech Republic has been battling the COVID-19 pandemic for several weeks now and effective testing of selected individuals for SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus infection is one of the key building blocks of successful fight against it.
Due to the new solution, general practitioners from more than 6,000 surgeries across the country will be able to request a patient test via a web application and then at the testing point it can be checked whether the incoming patient has a request. This will, among other things, make it possible to immediately assess whether the test will be reimbursed by a health insurance company or by the patient himself. At the same time, this solution will significantly ease identification of the patient and the subsequent transmission of information about the test and its results for further processing. The simplified request has a basic data interface and it is possible to integrate it into existing sophisticated solutions, e.g. regional authorities.
“The current situation requires the simplest, but also the most effective solution. Our web application is exactly like that – simple, user-friendly and at the same time extremely effective” says Michal Bušek, Director of the Healthcare Section.
The solution aims to ensure that the test is performed at the testing point following simple request from the indicating physician. The demand for such a solution arose from the discussion of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic with VZP (General Healthcare Insurance provider) and with the representatives of general practitioners. With regard to the current situation, the joint implementation team of the IHIS CR and ICZ effectively cooperated to create the request in a pilot version within a few days.
The solution itself is very simple for users. It consists of two processes, namely the submission of the request application by the doctor – in which the doctor provides the name and surname of the patient, their birth number, the requirement to perform the test and other mandatory data – and its subsequent verification at the testing point. The web application will thus contribute to greater efficiency of the entire testing process, including simplification of administration for all stakeholders, especially where no supporting electronic applications are yet available.