What document are shared ?

What documents are shared?

This video (in fench) explains which health documents are shared on the Brussels Health Network.

On the Brussels Health Network, you will find documents published by

• hospital doctors (reports on consultations, hospitalization, technical procedures, imaging, lab work, etc.).
• GPs (SUMEHR)
• private laboratories (blood sampling and other analyses or tests …), or
• care providers who may publish notes.

Any information held by health care providers may be shared to the extent that it is useful for your treatment. These documents must be approved in order to be published and shared; without this step, the document will remain in “Draft” mode and will not be shared.

This concerns e.g.:

• a health summary prepared by your GP (also known as SUMEHR in the medical jargon)
• the results of blood tests
• X-rays
• the medicines that have been prescribed and provided to you
• a consultation letter
• information given to your GP when you leave hospital

All these data together form what is known as the Shared Health Record.

However, genetic data are considered to be particularly sensitive and only doctors have the right to access them.

GPs do not share patient records in their entirety.  They only publish relevant information for continuity of patient care in summarized electronic health records (SUMEHR).

Each hospital institution or doctor is in full control of what is published or not on the Brussels Health Network but is required to respect the patient’s privacy. If you do not want information to be shared, make a direct request to your healthcare provider to not share your information. In any case, you have the possibility to make a cross on a specific document later on.

Medical documents of patients referenced on the Brussels Health Network can be consulted by all Brussels hospitals.

Thanks to the federal project that interlinks the 4 Belgian health networks, patient medical documents can be consulted in all the country’s health care institutions, provided that the doctor who consults them has a valid therapeutic link with the patient.

What is a SUMEHR or electronic medical summary

Since January 15 2019, you have standard access to the content of your medical summary (SUMEHR) shared by your general practicioner, unless the access settings have been changed.

The SUMEHR, summarized Electronic Health Record to be complete is a summary of your health produced by the general practicioner.

This medical summary in case of emergency consist in, as its name refers to, a summary of your electronic medical files. It resumes the administrative data of a patient such as his contact details, the risks related to his health as for example:

• allergies,
• drugs to avoid,
• social factors, etc.

The doctor will also keep track of vaccination data, any family history, active and passive health elements, active medication, emergency contact person, patient’s wishes, and so on.