E-health records from September 1

On June 1, 2021, the Ministry of Health approved a number of documents that introduce electronic sick leave certificates in Ukraine. Below, we will analyze in more detail what regulations have been adopted and what to expect from the e-sick leave.

Procedure for Formation of Medical Certificates of Temporary Disability in the Register of Medical Certificates in the Electronic Healthcare System

This Procedure regulates the procedure for issuing electronic sick leave certificates. The Procedure was developed for healthcare facilities and individual entrepreneurs engaged in private medical practice, who have a relevant license and conduct temporary disability examinations.

According to the Regulations, only attending physicians are authorized to issue e-sick notes.

It is forbidden to issue sick leave:

• ambulance medics and doctors in emergency medical centers;
• medical workers at blood transfusion stations;
• forensic experts;
• employees of mud baths, sanatoriums, cosmetic and resort facilities;
• doctors who perform cosmetic surgeries without medical indications.

Procedure for the Social Insurance Fund of Ukraine to verify the validity of issuance and extension of sick leave certificates

This Procedure, as the name implies, regulates the procedure for verification by the Social Insurance Funds of issued sick leave certificates to the extent that the decision to issue an e-sick leave certificate was justified based on the data in the Electronic Register of Sick Leave Certificates.

The health records can be checked:

1. Automatically and around the clock using the FSS information and analytical system based on a risk-based approach, based on data from the Electronic Register of Sick Leave Certificates;
2. Employees of the FSS on the basis of:

• an appeal from an employer or employee;
• detection of discrepancies in the register and in the statements;
• a message from a medical institution;
• requests from law enforcement agencies.

Instructions for working with medical certificates of temporary disability in the Register of Medical Certificates in the Electronic Healthcare System and sick leave certificates for the period of the transitional model

This Instruction has been developed for healthcare facilities and individual entrepreneurs engaged in private medical practice, holding a relevant license and conducting temporary disability examinations.

While the transitional period is in effect, this Instruction is the main document regulating the activities of doctors.
The instruction provides for the following procedure:

• if an employee has been issued a paper sick leave certificate and then needs to extend it until full recovery, the extended certificate must be issued in paper form, even if the business entity switched to e-sick leave certificates in the Register during the insured person's illness;
• until September 1, business entities must be guided by Instruction No. 455 and Regulation No. 189;
• if a person has opened an health record with one doctor and at the same time goes to another doctor who has not yet joined the electronic registry, a new paper health record must be opened for him or her.