etervise

E-tervise, commonly written as e-tervise in Estonian sources, is the term used for electronic health services in Estonia. It denotes a national system of digital health records, e-prescriptions, online patient access, and secure health information exchange. The aim is to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare by providing clinicians and patients with timely access to accurate health data while maintaining strong privacy protections.

Central to e-tervise is the National Health Information System, which stores and links patient data across hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and pharmacies. Data exchange relies on the X-Road, a secure, nationwide data-sharing infrastructure that connects health records with other public sector databases. Citizens use a digital identity to authenticate themselves and authorize access to their information through a patient portal.

The system supports services such as electronic prescriptions, digital referrals, and real-time access to test results and vaccination records. Healthcare professionals document clinical encounters in standardized formats to enable continuity of care, minimize duplication of tests, and support public health surveillance. Implementation began in the early 2000s and expanded over the following decade, contributing to Estonia's reputation for advanced e-government and health informatics.

Privacy and security are foundational, with patient control over data access, comprehensive audit trails, and strict legal safeguards. While widely used in Estonia, e-tervise concepts influence international discussions on health information systems and digital health governance.

See also: Health informatics; Digital identity; Estonia.