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Italians still have a handful of hours to say no to the inclusion of their “oldest” health data in the electronic health record, a sort of digital health record that will be fully operational by mid-2026 with the medical history of each patient that doctors can access and that can become a lifesaver in an emergency. In fact, the deadline to object to the uploading of one’s data and clinical documents prior to May 19, 2020 expires on June 30 (for those after May 19, 2020, the law does not require “prior consent”). But what must be done to object to the uploading? And what are the pros and cons of this choice?
What does the health file contain?
The electronic health record contains data and documents also referring to services provided outside the National Health Service. And therefore in addition to the patient’s identification and administrative data (exemptions for income and pathology, contacts, delegates), reports have or will be uploaded; emergency room reports; hospital discharge letters; summary health profile; specialist and pharmaceutical prescriptions; medical records; provision of drugs paid for by the NHS and not by the NHS; vaccinations; provision of specialist assistance services; etc. In particular, the synthetic health profile, or “patient summary”, is the IT socio-health document drawn up and updated by the general practitioner or paediatrician of free choice which summarizes the patient’s clinical history and his current known situation.
The rules to oppose the uploading of data
The 2020 relaunch decree (article 11 of Legislative Decree no. 34/2020) provides that, starting from its publication date, the uploading of data to the health file will take place automatically, with the consequent elimination of the “consent to ” provided for by the previous legislation. For those who have not yet done so, opposition to the uploading of data and documents generated by clinical events relating to services provided by the NHS prior to 19 May 2020 can be made through the Health Card System portal. The choice can be revoked and re-registered several times, until June 30th. The system will select the last indication loaded chronologically. Failure to access the online service “Fse – Opposition to previous records” or access to the service without registering one’s opposition – warns the Ministry of Health – will result in the automatic uploading of one’s data and health documents available and prior to May 19, 2020.
How does the opposition manifest itself?
The citizen can access the Health Card website (www.sistemats.it) by selecting the online service “FSE – Opposition to previous records” and choosing one of the three available methods. For citizens who do not have a digital identity it is possible to object by accessing the service available in the free area of the Health Card site, entering the tax code, the health card number and the expiry date or (alternatively for those who do not have one the Stp code, the Region and the date of issue of the code). For those who have a digital identity it is possible to object by accessing the service using their Spid, Cie or Health Card/National Services Card credentials. The opposition can be made (for those who do not have access to digital) through intermediaries such as the local health authority operator (for flight or aviation personnel, at the Usmaf clinics of the Ministry of Health).
The pros and cons of saying “no” to the data on the file
The electronic health record is the tool through which doctors in any region they are located can access information during diagnostic visits, specialist tests or emergency situations. Health data is obviously very sensitive data in which privacy plays a fundamental role. In recent weeks, their delicacy has unleashed the anti-vax population who are always very sensitive when it comes to personal data, as happened with the Green Pass during Covid. Hence the strong interest in this possibility of opposition which therefore guarantees confidentiality of past health data. However, on the other hand, this information – treated with maximum security from the point of view of privacy – concerns the patient’s pathologies or clinical conditions and can be crucial to be able to intervene in case of need and in a timely manner in any healthcare facility. find the citizen without risking making mistakes because perhaps they are not aware of a pathology or a serious form of allergy, while at the same time also improving the treatments which will thus be more precise and tailor-made.
