Electronic Patient Registration – What Regulations to Consider? 

07.18.2024

Regulations for Electronic Patient Registration: How to Ensure Legal Compliance? 

Running a medical facility is a significant challenge. Entities in the healthcare sector must comply with legal regulations and serve their patients to ensure the highest quality of services. One of the conveniences for patients is e-registration. It saves valuable time and improves the operation of clinics. Check what regulations an electronic patient registration system must comply with and what to consider during its implementation. 

Applicable Legal Regulations for Medical Facilities in Poland 

Medical facilities in Poland must comply with specific legal regulations. These regulations determine how a medical clinic is run and the scope of services provided. Every entity in this sector should adhere to these regulations regardless of whether they use e-registration or not. The basic legal acts for healthcare entities in Poland include: 

  • The Civil Code of April 23, 1964; 
  • The Medical Activity Act of April 15, 2011; 
  • The Administrative Procedure Code of June 14, 1960; 
  • The Act on Computerization of Public Task Executing Entities of February 17, 2005; 
  • The Health Information System Act of April 28, 2011; 
  • The Regulation of the Minister of Health of March 26, 2021, on the scope of the information collected in the Health Resource Register and the manner and dates of submitting this information; 
  • The Classified Information Protection Act of August 5, 2010; 
  • The Patient Rights and Patient Ombudsman Act of November 6, 2008; 
  • The Regulation of the Minister of Health of June 26, 2019, on the scope of necessary information processed by healthcare providers, the detailed method of registering this information, and its submission to entities obligated to finance benefits from public funds; 
  • and others. 

It is the duty of the person managing a medical clinic to familiarize themselves with all applicable regulations and adhere to them. This also applies to the process of implementing an electronic patient registration system in the clinic. At EasyCall, we specialize in implementing modern registration systems for clinics and medical offices that comply with regulations. Collaborating with us ensures you the necessary security. 

Is Implementing Electronic Patient Registration Mandatory? 

Many entities wonder whether implementing a program for scheduling medical appointments is mandatory. Currently, legal regulations do not oblige medical facilities operating in Poland to do this. Nevertheless, many hospitals and clinics have already taken this step to optimize their work and improve the patient registration process. Standardly, patients choose to contact by phone, often resulting in wasted time in long queues. By using dedicated software, patients can register much faster. The program can handle many inquiries simultaneously and is integrated with the specialists’ calendar. This makes the registration process quick and minimizes the risk of overlapping appointments. 

Medical facilities have great flexibility in choosing an IT system for scheduling medical appointments. The regulations for electronic patient registration do not indicate one specific tool. At the same time, the program for confirming and scheduling appointments must comply with applicable regulations, including GDPR. It is the duty of the medical facility to ensure full patient privacy. 

Moreover, the regulations stipulate that during patient registration, very detailed questions about the illness or its course cannot be asked. Patient verification should include a few basic data points indicated by the NFZ. The legal basis here is the Regulation of the Minister of Health of September 8, 2015, on the general conditions of contracts for providing healthcare services. 

Additionally, all medical facilities, both those operating under the NFZ contract and private commercial entities, must create electronic medical documentation. This is to unify the healthcare system in Poland and gradually lead to the digitization of healthcare. An example of actions taken by the Ministry of Health in this area is the Internet Patient Account. 

EasyCall Medical Voicebot – A Tool Compliant with Regulations 

At EasyCall, we specialize in implementing modern technological solutions in the healthcare sector. This includes medical voicebots successfully used in the electronic patient registration system in clinics. Our tools comply with current legal regulations for the healthcare sector in Poland. We collaborate with both large clinics and specialized offices, including cardiologists, dentists, etc. 

We will thoroughly understand your needs and then prepare a customized implementation project for you. Our voicebots for clinics are tailored to the needs of a given facility. We support individuals managing medical entities in optimizing their work and increasing their profitability. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with our prepared case studies. Our implementations include dedicated patient registration tools in facilities such as Omega Medical Clinics and Gizińscy Medical Center in Bydgoszcz. Contact our expert, who will present the potential of implementing electronic patient registration and guide you through the entire process.