Despite controversy, Vaud parliament backs American Epic digital patient record

After almost two hours of debate, Vaud’s parliament moved forward with the Epic digital patient record project, despite continuing concern over entrusting hospital data to a U.S. technology company.

Health councillor Roger Nordmann urged lawmakers to return to the decisions before them. “I am a little disconcerted, I feel like we are reopening the debate on whether to enter into the matter,” he said during Tuesday morning’s discussion.

The Grand Council approved, by a broad majority, a credit of 104.5 million Swiss francs to finance the share of the Lausanne University Hospital, known as CHUV. It also approved the principle of a 50 million franc credit to establish the team responsible for deploying the system.

The project divides deputies between the urgent need to modernize hospital information systems and the fear of handing sensitive data to an American giant. The opening stages of the debate proceeded slowly, but the chamber ultimately approved the first funding components.

Two other parts remain to be addressed: guarantees for regional hospitals and the governance of the program. The funding picture is also temporarily unsettled by an additional 63 million Swiss francs in public aid, which lawmakers accepted by a narrow margin. The project therefore advanced, but the controversy surrounding its financing and data arrangements remains.

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I am a little disconcerted, I feel like we are reopening the debate on whether to enter into the matter.