"Success of e-invoicing is speed and simplicity, in terms of both the transition to the new system and its use," said Head of Estonian Post Information Logistics Division Toomas Türk. "Mail and logistics related e-services development will surely be more interesting in coming years; new opportunities help companies to focus more on their core business."
E-invoicing electronic processing solutions, as well as receiving and digitalization of invoices presented in the old format are now used in dozens of state agencies - affiliated to the e-invoicing project of the Ministry of Finance. E-Invoicing Centre customers, in addition to private companies, also include local authorities such as Kuressaare, Saue and Jõgeva and several rural municipality governments. Larger enterprises include Electric Railways, Veho Estonia, and starting from 1st of July, Estonian energy company Eesti Energia.
Read more: EE: User-Driven Estonian E-Invoicing Service Continues To Show Growth
The EHR is built on Estonia's X-Road network, Mr Tiik told the presentation audience. X-Road is a secure gateway service architecture that hosts 3 000 eServices available to Estonian citizens. In January 2010, the eHealth Foundation launched a companion health insurance system for claims, reimbursement and prescription management.
Read more: Estonian EHR system used by 47 % of citizens and 95 % of doctors
The e-referral system was implemented in response to a recommendation made in the audit by the National Audit Office (Riigikontroll, in Estonian) on the GP system. The report said: "In order to reduce the number of unwarranted referrals to medical specialists, the National Audit Office suggested that, based on this audit, the Minister of Social Affairs implement the e-referral feature, and later also the e-consultation system, which would enable GPs to consult with medical specialists without necessarily having to refer the patient on."
Read more: EE: E-referral system is now available to GPs, Ministry confirms
The Baltic state implemented a national EHR in 2009 at a cost equivalent to €7.50 (roughly $10 USD) per citizen.
Madis Tiik, CEO of the Estonian E-Health Foundation, who managed the project, described the short path to a fully integrated EHR network currently used by 47 pecent of the country's residents.
Can Estonia be successful in the future? This article delves into Estonia’s outlook and innovation in the well-known and expected area of information technology, as well as other areas of possible advancement. History has shown that innovation cannot come from a single sector. Innovation must be a progression in most, if not all, areas of economic and civic life.