'Paperless Practice' is a project for the computerisation of primary care practices in Croatia. Its purpose is to streamline the healthcare system, reduce costs and establish a single and uniform data collection system, so as to promote health and prevent diseases.

The project is worth HRK 55 million (approx. €7.6 million). The contract for upgrading the national primary healthcare IT system covers the maintenance, installation and implementation of new functionalities in the already existing Croatian primary healthcare IT system. It plans to connect a large number of primary care actors thanks to the computerisation of key business processes and the introduction of new ways of working that will enable a more effective and efficient functioning of the system.

The immediate savings expected to be achieved through the project's implementation are HRK 5 million (approx. €700 000) drawn from the reduction of paper consumption, while the total savings are estimated to reach between HRK 10-20 million yearly (between approx. €1.4 million and €2.8 million).

Patients and doctors will benefit from:

• electronic prescriptions;
• the booking of consultations with specialist practitioners, the online ordering of laboratory tests and medicines;
• electronic health records.

The project will connect all primary healthcare givers (general practices, gynaecology clinics, paediatric practices, dentistry practices, pharmacies, biochemistry laboratories, etc - approx. 6 000 entities) and the central unit. The expected outcomes are:

• reduction of unnecessary administration;
• healthcare workers to devote more time to patient care;
• better disease monitoring with the establishment of a morbidity registry, which will make it possible to better plan healthcare in each area of care;
• Generals practitioners will become able to refer their patients to secondary care examinations by electronic means;
• Lab test results will be waiting for the patients at their family doctor's.

The project became reality in the counties of Lika-Senj and Međimurje. It is expected to be fully implemented over the entire country by the end of 2010.

 

Further information: 

• Original press release - Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (in Croatian)