“Fakty” TVN: Every doctor can check what prescription drugs we take. The minister does not deny it

“Fakty” TVN about the doubts of some doctors. One of them claims that it is possible to check the data of each patient via the government website, biuro.gov.pl. “In theory, on this website, the doctor was supposed to check the data of his patients only, and only with their consent. In practice, he can check anyone he wants – without his knowledge” – say the authors of the report on prescriptions. As they explain, it is enough to enter the PESEL number into the system.

Every doctor can check what every patient is being treated for? “Just check the box”

The change in the system was supposed to appear recently. It was introduced after TVN journalists revealed problems with issuing prescriptions for certain drugs. It is about the case that ended with Adam Niedzielski leaving the government. In short, doctors said they couldn’t prescribe, the ministry said that wasn’t true. The Minister of Health, wanting to prove that he was right, revealed to the world that the doctor, who said that he could not issue prescriptions, issued it on himself.

After this confusion, a new field was to appear in the system available to doctors: “consent obtained from the patient or life-threatening situation”. According to doctors, it is enough to mark them to make the problems with issuing prescriptions disappear. – I personally had a problem with issuing the drug to the patient and I was informed that there would be such an option with this stamp. She on the eighth or ninth [sierpnia – red.] entered, because on the tenth, thanks to this option, I finally issued this drug to the patient – explains Dr. Jakub Kosikowski from the Supreme Medical Council in an interview with the program.

I can’t believe something like this could even work. I believe this is a threat to patient safety

– said Łukasz Jankowski, president of the Supreme Medical Council, in a commentary on the procedure.

The minister responds to the allegations. And confirms: doctors can check what the patient is being treated for

The material of “Facts” was widely commented on by the Minister of Digitization, Janusz Cieszyński. He explained that access to the system requires logging in with the doctor’s data, and each operation in the system is registered, which makes it possible to determine who has accessed our data.

If someone has done it illegally, an attempt can be made to determine the perpetrator, and traces are usually easier to secure than in the case of paper documentation,

– assures the minister.

Only that the patient would have to know that someone checked his data. The system of the Ministry of Health actually makes it possible to check what drugs each person is taking. When obtaining information, the doctor must confirm that the access is done “in order to save life or after obtaining the patient’s consent”. By submitting a false statement in this regard, he theoretically exposes himself to liability. The problem is that annually in Poland … about 165 million prescriptions are issued. The possible control process of who and when checked our data may therefore be difficult. Much depends on good or bad will.