IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The Estonian Government this week approved of the package of regulations which paves the way to the introduction of digital health records.

In a press release issued today Estonia’s Minister of Social Affairs Maret Maripuu said that the regulations adopted on Thursday will create preconditions for the gradual transition to e-health.

Read more: Estonia takes steps to e-health

According to the Emor survey among doctors and Estonians, nearly three quarters of Estonians support the usage of digital medical record.

57 pct of respondents are aware of the digital medical record and 71 pct support using it, ERR News writes.

77 pct of doctors supported taling teh digital medical record into usage.

Read more: Two thirds of Estonians support the e-health solution

Yesterday’s government session approved the regulation packet which takes Estonia one step closer to switching over to e-health system, aripaev.ee writes.

Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs Maret Maripuu said that the approval creates the prerequisites for switching over step-by-step to the digital medical documents. “Now it depends on the service provider, Data Protection's permissions and technical preparedness,” the minister explained.

Read more: Estonia to test the e-health system

Walk down the cobblestone streets with medieval houses that look straight out of storybooks, and it's hard to believe that Tallinn - a city that has been sacked, pillaged and bombed numerous times over the centuries - still retains much of its past. But while this capital city of Estonia - a north-European country along the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea - remains a living museum, it's also a high-tech hotbed. For instance, the technologies for Skype and Baidu were developed in this country. Recently with the latest group of Wi-Fi access points installed, this 45,000-square-kilometer former Soviet nation is now also completely covered with wireless Internet access, setting an example for more-developed and richer states that have been trying to achieve this feat for years.

Read more: Wireless Internet Connects 1.4 Million Citizens in Estonia