A step towards the electronic EHIC

The deployment of the service continues with success across Europe. From July to September 2009 new NETC@RDS sites have been launched  in France, Poland and Slovakia increasing the total number to 172 units (healthcare organizations) and 427 workstation points. These activities, coordinated by each national deployment coordination team, has been taken over together with dissemination and training events targeting healthcare professionals and citizens.

In France CNAM, GIE SESAM VITALE and the French Ministry of Health organised a joint meeting with the selected hospitals (Paris, French-German nearborder area including regions of Alsace & Lorraine and French Riviera areas) for training delivery and communication purposes (Paris, 3rd July 2009). Hospitals’ sites have been equipped with publicity material and testing devices (posters in national language, card readers, test cards, scanners). This action relies on the opportunity to exploit summer as period of vacation for foreign citizens using healthcare services in touristic areas. 

In Poland the 16 regional offices of the National Health Insurance Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia - NFZ) have started in-depth activities of information and training at local level for increasing the awareness of the healthcare staff in deploying the services. NFZ has also triggered activities at national level to prepare the ground for deployment: solution for installing and securing the portal; purchase of smart cards readers and smart cards; user’s documentation and dissemination materials distribution. From July up to date 70 agreements for service site equipment have been signed and 42 installations completed. 

In Slovakia a new service point has been launched at The Faculty Hospital of Nitra. This is the fourth service point of the site, currently installed in the emergency room of this hospital.

On behalf of the NETC@RDS consortium of European partners, the SESAM Vitale Economic Interest Grouping (EIG) put an EHIC TEST SET at the disposal of those business and industry companies, which are aiming to implement Optical Card Readers (OCR) for the EHIC and put them to the test then to the market place. Instructions how to get the EHIC TEST SET are downloadable in French from the below URL link:

http://www.sesam-vitale.fr/programme/pdf/netcards-inf-001-ProcedureJeuxTestCEAM.pdf

NETC@RDS piloting activities have been extended to Switzerland (Kanton Basel - city). The opportunity is to prepare conditions for making the service operational during the European Football Championships 2008. Two hospitals have been integrated as NETC@RDS service points: St. Clara Hospital (Basel) and University hospital (Basel). These hospitals have been equipped with card-readers, optical scanners and the necessary software. The initiative is conducted by Swiss healthcare authorities of the city of Basel.

Member of the European Parliament, Evelyne Gebhardt (SPD – Social Democratic Party of Germany) visited the premises of the AOK Baden-Württemberg receiving first hand information from Christopher Hermann, Vice-Chairman of the Governing Board, and Rainer Baudermann, Project Manager for the implementation of the EU NETC@RDS Project.