Catalonia Shared Medical Record

The Catalonia Shared Medical Record is a database which seeks to maximise the quality of healthcare services by making available information on patients from Catalonian care centers. Selection and visualization of specific registers of information regarding the patient?s medical history and care is carried out by a browser that can be accessed by health professionals and patients alike. The basic principle of the initiative is to allow an information exchange among different health organizations in order to facilitate and potentiate continuity care, and to speed up diagnostic procedures by avoiding the repetition of unnecessary examinations. Citizens have access to their own clinical history via a personal digital certificate, and professionals through a federal certification system. Providing greater access to relevant information and better communication among professionals, the Shared Medical Record has the potential to save valuable time, money, and more importantly, lives.