AI translation of the German original. Legal references and sources remain those of the original document. German version.

¶ Starting Point – Why the EPD Is Being Redesigned

Language versions: Deutsch · Français · Italiano · English · Rumantsch

¶ Low Uptake Is Documented

eHealth Suisse reports 136,076 opened dossiers as of end of April 2026. This figure answers how many dossiers were opened. It does not show how complete they are, how often someone accesses them, or whether they have improved any treatment. Furthermore, an April figure must not be described as a measurement from October 2026. Figure from eHealth Suisse

¶ Voluntary Participation Does Not Explain All the Difficulties

For the general public, active consent has applied until now. Hospitals have been subject to a mandatory connection requirement since 2020, nursing homes and birth centres since 2022; medical practices newly licensed since 2022 must also be connected. Many practitioners who have been active for longer can participate voluntarily. The phrase "no one was required to participate" therefore inaccurately describes the existing system. Official description of the current EPD Cost study, p. 2

¶ Connection and Use Are Different Things

The synthesis report published in 2026 notes: many facilities have access to a portal but must upload and download documents manually. It identifies low uptake, missing integration, and an unfavourable cost-benefit ratio as obstacles. Its statement about low active use is based on earlier surveys and is not a real-time measurement from October. Synthesis report, pp. 2–3 and 13–16

The joint steering-group statement identifies methodological limitations: low response rate in one survey, retrospective estimates, and limited regional analysability. Such limitations are part of a rigorous assessment of the figures. Methodology, p. 2

¶ What Follows From This

Editorial assessment: More automatically opened dossiers can reduce the uptake problem. Whether the result is a useful tool also depends on current content, straightforward workflows, and treatment partners who are actually connected. Opening numbers alone are not a suitable measure of success.

Further: Comparison EPD/E-GD · Opportunities · Sources