“FOR” AND “AGAINST” FINGERPRINT IDENTIFIERS IN HOSPITALS

On 25th of July, a protest was staged outside the building of the Ministry of Health against the trial testing of the electronic identification system in the hospitals, known as fingerprint identifiers. The protesters demanded the resignation of the Minister of Health, Petar Moskov.

Since last week, the fingerprint identification system has been trial tested in 5 hospitals and from the beginning of this week it will be introduced for trial testing in 20 more hospitals.

The fingerprint identification system is envisaged to become obligatory in hospitals from October 2016. The measure aims to stop siphoning off of the health insurance fund. According to protesters however, the fingerprint identifiers contain personal data with high level of security and taking fingerprints treats patients as criminals. Therefore, the protesters insist on introduction of electronic health card with a chip.

Mariana Hristova, a protester, says that the electronic health card contains the names, medical record and dental status of the patient. It was the initial idea, which the Minister of Health, Petar Moskov, wanted to introduce. With the card, patients can go to hospitals in Europe, to present it and receive medical treatment. Unlike the card, if the patient presents finger identifiers outside Bulgaria, no one would have reading devices for them, she noted.

Doctor Vanyo Sharkov, a Deputy Minister of Health, said that the manipulation of public opinion was to the benefit of people, who were afraid of good control in the healthcare system. The fingerprint identification is a mechanism which would enable exercising effective control by the National Health Insurance Fund, but more important was that it would enable the patients to also exercise control.

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