Electronic Patient Record (EPD)

What the EPD is

The Electronic Patient Record (EPD / Elektronisches Patientendossier / dossier électronique du patient) is a secure online system where your medical documents are stored and can be shared between healthcare providers. It is not a single database but a federated system: documents stay with the providers who created them, but you (and authorised providers) can access them through a central portal.

The EPD was established by the Federal Act on the Electronic Patient Record (EPDG), which came into force in 2017. Hospitals and nursing homes have been required to participate since 2020 (for inpatient facilities) and 2022 (for rehabilitation and psychiatric clinics). For patients and outpatient doctors, participation is currently voluntary.

What it contains

When healthcare providers upload documents to your EPD, these can include:

• Discharge letters (Austrittsbericht) from hospital stays
• Lab results — blood tests, urine analysis, pathology reports
• Medication lists — current prescriptions and dosages
• Imaging reports — X-ray, MRI, CT scan findings
• Vaccination records — your complete immunisation history
• Advance directives (Patientenverfügung) — your wishes for end-of-life care
• Allergy information — critical for emergency situations

You can also add your own documents to your EPD, such as an advance directive, a medication list you maintain yourself, or medical records from your home country.

How to open an EPD

To open an EPD, you register through a certified community reference (Stammgemeinschaft). These are regional organisations approved by the federal government to operate EPD infrastructure. The process:

1. Visit patientendossier.ch to find the Stammgemeinschaft in your region
2. Register online or at a designated registration point (some cantons offer in-person registration at hospitals or municipal offices)
3. Verify your identity — this requires a certified electronic identity (eID) or in-person identification with a passport or ID card
4. Set up your access credentials and security settings

Cost: Opening and maintaining an EPD is currently free for patients in most Stammgemeinschaften. This may change in future as the system matures, but for now there is no charge.

Who can access your EPD

You control who sees your medical records. The EPD is built on the principle of patient sovereignty:

• You can view everything in your EPD at any time through the online portal
• Healthcare providers can only access your EPD if you explicitly authorise them. You grant access per provider and can set different access levels:
  • Full access: The provider can see all documents
  • Restricted access: You can hide specific documents from specific providers
  • Emergency access: In a medical emergency, authorised emergency personnel can access basic information (allergies, medications, advance directive) even without your prior consent
• You can revoke access at any time for any provider
• Insurers cannot access your EPD. This is a fundamental legal protection — your health insurer has no right to view your EPD, and no provider can share your EPD data with insurers

Your rights

Under the EPDG and the Swiss Data Protection Act (DSG), you have comprehensive rights over your electronic patient record:

• Right to view: You can see every document in your EPD and every access log (who accessed what, when)
• Right to add: You can upload your own documents (advance directives, personal medication lists, foreign medical records)
• Right to restrict: You can hide specific documents from specific providers or set documents to "restricted" so only you can see them
• Right to revoke: You can remove a provider's access at any time
• Right to delete: You can close your EPD entirely and have all data deleted. This is permanent and cannot be undone

Practical benefits and current limitations

The EPD offers real practical benefits, even in its current state:

• Avoids duplicate tests: When you see a new specialist or change GP, your previous lab results and imaging are available — saving time and money, and avoiding unnecessary radiation or blood draws
• Faster emergency care: In an emergency in another canton, the ER can access your allergy information, medication list, and advance directive — potentially life-saving information
• Single source of truth: All your medical records from participating providers are accessible in one place, rather than scattered across multiple practices and hospitals
• Portability: If you move to another canton or change providers, your records follow you

However, the system has significant limitations as of today:

• Low outpatient adoption: Most GPs and outpatient specialists are not yet connected to the EPD system. Participation is voluntary for them, and many have not invested in the required technical infrastructure
• Not a communication tool: The EPD is a document repository, not a messaging system. It does not replace direct communication between you and your doctor
• Incomplete records: Only documents from participating providers appear in your EPD. If your GP does not participate, their notes and prescriptions will not be there