Slovak Republic
Is the use of telehealth permitted?
Telehealth has been allowed by Slovak legislation only for the duration of the crisis situation regarding COVID-19.
Slovak Republic
How is telehealth regulated?
In Slovakia, telehealth is regulated by Act No. 576/2004 Coll. on Health Care and on Services related to Health Care, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the "Act on Health Care"). According to Section 49k of the Act on Health Care, during a crisis situation, a general practitioner or a specialised physician is entitled to provide the consultation to the patient via electronic communication without the patient‘s presence in the clinic after verifying the identity of the patient and the insurance relationship with his / her respective health insurance company. This consultation via electronic communications must be recorded by the physician in the patient’s medical records.
Slovak Republic
Are there specific fields of healthcare in relation to which telehealth services are currently available, and do they involve the use of proprietary technology or platforms?
Telehealth, as permitted during COVID-19 includes all healthcare services, such as general practice, psychology, and dentistry. Though it is currently quite common to provide consultations by telephone or e-mail (or via other electronic communications), such consultations are not explicitly supported by Slovak legislation (e.g. verification of results by telephone, and health consultations) and general video conferencing and teleconferencing apps like Skype and Zoom are not allowed to be used.
Slovak Republic
Does the public health system include telehealth services, and if so, are such services free of charge, subsidised or reimbursed? Where the public health system does not include telehealth services, are such services covered by private health insurance?
Generally, telephone consultation means the provision of information to a patient or their legal representative in connection with a medical condition in case that the patient is unable to come to the clinic due to the current COVID-19 situation. The provided medical services are accepted by each health insurance company in Slovakia (Union, Dôvera, Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa) if the relevant medical advice or consultation is capable of being provided as telehealth service.
Slovak Republic
Do specific privacy and/or data protection laws apply to the provision of telehealth services?
The Act on Health Care stipulates processing of personal data from the medical documentation. At the same time, it also refers to the regulation stipulated in Act No. 18/2018 Coll. on Personal Data Protection, as amended, and GDPR.
Slovak Republic
How should the cross-border transfer of personal information collected and processed in the course of telehealth services be carried out to ensure compliance with applicable privacy laws?
In Slovakia, there is no special regulation in connection with the cross-border transfer of telehealth data and therefore the GDPR standard principles of personal data transfer (requirement of the same level of protection, etc.) will apply.
Slovak Republic
Are there any currently applicable codes of conduct on the use of telehealth systems and/or security of telehealth data in your jurisdiction?
No.
Slovak Republic
Are any specific laws, regulations, or self-regulatory instruments expected to be adopted in the near future?
According to the Program Statement of the Government of the Slovak Republic for the period 2020-2024, the Government has stated that it is committed to support the introduction of innovative modern technologies, such as telehealth. The government will implement innovative ways of managing and financing general healthcare, although no changes in the area of telehealth are currently being prepared.
Slovak Republic
Michaela Stessl
Partner
DLA PIPER WEISS-TESSBACH Rechtsanwälte GmbH, organizačná zložka
T: +42 12 5920 2142[email protected]