Italy - elderly patients' records

The procedures for managing the access delegation system for the electronic health record may vary from region to region. In this section, we investigate the procedure in the Emilia Romagna region.

The delegation tool allows the sharing of the management of one's electronic health record with one or more individuals, up to a maximum of 5. An elderly person can authorize their child or other trusted individuals to access, consult, and use their electronic record for any healthcare needs. The procedure to follow depends on whether the elderly person is under guardianship - meaning they have a legal guardian, a support administrator, or a proxy because they are unable to manage their own affairs - or not.

Delegation of FSE for elderly individuals not under guardianship

An elderly individual not under guardianship who wishes to activate a delegation can do so using a specific function within their electronic health record. First, they must log in. Then, through the option "Delegations for FSE access," they can choose one or more individuals to delegate, entering their name, surname, and fiscal code.

At this point, they can send a request to the delegate, who will receive it via email or view it in their personal electronic health record, and must accept it within 30 days (to be designated as a delegate, they must have accessed their own electronic health record at least once).

Once this procedure is completed, the delegated person, upon entering their personal record, can also view the record of the person who granted the delegation, consult its documents, and use all services on behalf of the grantor.

Delegation of EHR for elderly individuals under guardianship

It is also possible to obtain a delegation for accessing the electronic health record of an elderly person who is under guardianship. In these cases, it is necessary for the guardian to go to the dedicated offices of the healthcare company to register the patient and associate them with their own electronic health record, presenting the documentation from the Court attesting to the appointment as a support administrator or the general proxy. After the necessary verifications, the delegation will be activated, allowing them to consult and use the electronic health record of the elderly patient by simply accessing their own.

Source: Fascicolo sanitario per genitori anziani: come attivarlo?