Switzerland: Canton Uri stops support for the electronic patient dossier

The Swiss canton of Uri does not want to support the electronic patient dossier (EPD) any further at present. This was decided by the government of the small canton of Central Switzerland. The reason given by the government council for the decision is that demand for the EPR in the canton of Uri has been very low to date. Therefore, there is currently no need for active support, whereby the main issue is likely to be funding.

Many healthcare professionals and institutions are critical of the EPR in its current form, according to the Uri cantonal government. They criticize "in particular structural and functional weaknesses" of the EPD. The "strained financial situation of the canton" was another important factor in the government council's decision.

No additional funds for the EPD

"In view of the existing savings targets, no additional funds are to be invested in the introduction of the EPD at present," writes the cantonal government in a statement. The government of the economically weak canton now wants to wait for the upcoming revision of the Federal Act on the Electronic Patient Record (Elektronisches Patientendossier, EPDG).

For years, the Swiss government and the Federal Council have also been planning a comprehensive revision of the EPDG law due to a number of technical compatibility problems and interoperability issues between the EPD players. This was originally announced for summer 2024. So far, however, only a partial revision of the EPDG with only a few changes has emerged, which came into force on October 1, 2024.

Opt-out to come

The bill for the complete revision, which is intended to "improve the dissemination of the EPR and make its financing more sustainable", will be submitted to Parliament this spring, according to the federal government. Among other things, the Federal Council wants to introduce the so-called opt-out system. This means that all people living in Switzerland will continue to have compulsory health insurance and will automatically receive an EPR free of charge. Anyone who does not wish to receive a dossier must object to it being opened.

In addition, it was decided to standardize the different technical infrastructures of the so-called parent communities in the future. This is to be achieved by means of a central technical platform provided by the federal government. However, a complete revision of the EPR is not scheduled to come into force until 2028 at the earliest. "The cantonal government considers it sensible to wait for developments at federal level before taking further steps at cantonal level," emphasizes the Uri government.

The EPD has been on the health policy agenda of the cantons and the federal government in Switzerland since 2007. The corresponding federal law (EPDG) came into force in 2017 and legislators have been gradually introducing the EPD since the end of 2020. However, the electronic patient record has yet to be introduced across the board. At the end of February 2025, 104,407 EPRs had been opened in Switzerland.

Finally, the cantonal government of Uri points out that, despite its decision, it is still possible to open an EPR. Interested parties can do so online at the Post Sanela Health AG parent company at a self-pay price of CHF 15. In other cantons, the parent communities receive up to CHF 30 per EPD opened, with the federal government and cantons sharing the funding.

()