Czech Republic Expands EZKarta Health App

Health data is becoming increasingly available digitally in the Czech Republic. The redesigned EZKarta app is intended to give patients a quick overview of important medical information.

The Czech Ministry of Health has unveiled a fundamentally redesigned version of the EZKarta mobile application. The app is set to evolve from an electronic vaccination certificate into a personal digital health overview.

Users can access significantly more information directly on their smartphones. This includes completed preventive and screening examinations, laboratory results, medical assessments, information on blood and plasma donations, and selected data from the shared health record. Profiles of underage children and other authorised individuals can also be managed.

According to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, digitalisation should save patients time, reduce administrative work and facilitate access to the healthcare system. Health information should be securely available whenever it is needed.

Photo: Shared Health Record (Sdílený zdravotní záznam – SZZ) | EZKarta

New Design and Wider Range of Services

The user interface has been completely redesigned and divided into the Overview, Services and Settings sections. Users can select preferred services, switch between family profiles and choose between light and dark display modes.

The most important new feature, however, is the expanded content. The app shows which preventive and screening examinations have already been completed, which are currently available and when users will next be eligible for them.

“The patient should not be the courier of their own health data,” said Health Minister Adam Vojtěch. Important information must be available securely and clearly in one place. Further hospitals and healthcare facilities are to be connected gradually.

Laboratory Results Directly on Smartphones

In the initial phase, EZKarta provides ten selected laboratory parameters. It displays the most recently measured value, previous results, changes over time, the reference range and information on sample collection. The data will initially be updated approximately once a month. The ministry intends to shorten this interval and add further parameters.

Photo: Laboratory Results | EZKarta

However, the app is not a substitute for a medical assessment. If a result requires a rapid response, direct communication between medical staff and patients remains essential.

Vaccinations and Health Records

EZKarta includes vaccinations recorded by health insurance companies between 2010 and 2022, as well as all vaccinations entered into the infectious disease information system since January 2023. New vaccinations should appear in the app in real time once they have been recorded.

The shared health record contains selected information such as blood type, registered allergies, and details of preventive examinations and screenings. More than 30 hospitals are currently connected to the system. A new section also provides information on blood and plasma donations.

Photo: Messages | EZKarta

After logging in, the profiles of underage children are displayed automatically, provided the user has the appropriate authorisation. The data of other close persons can also be managed once permission has been granted. EZKarta is based on the Tečka application developed during the coronavirus pandemic. It has so far been downloaded around 3.1 million times on Android and iOS devices and is used by approximately 34,000 people each day.

Future additions are expected to include notifications from doctors, overviews of medical services and simpler ways to correct inaccurate information. The 1221 information hotline is available in the event of technical problems.


EZKarta
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