The first electronic health card (eCard) was handed out in the town of Slivnitsa, near Sofia, on October 4, during a ceremony for the official launch of the service in Bulgaria.

Reporting on the event, Bulgarian daily newspaper Sega said Health Minister Radoslav Gaidarski promised that by 2009 all Bulgarians would have electronic health cards.

The project that was launched in Slivnitsa would only serve as a test to check if the health care system is ready for the complete implementation of the scheme. At this stage, only seven physicians, four pharmacies and around 1000 patients would be testing the eCard's secure identification and authentication procedures, as well as the issuing and dispensing of electronic prescriptions.

The eCard system introduces a secure communications infrastructure that can later be upgraded to access and exchange medical information using personal health records. Currently, the process is done mainly through a lot of paperwork, which has been criticised by patients, general practitioners, hospitals and others.

Each eCard has the Personal Identification Number (EGN) of the person, his or her medical insurance status, as well as information on every prescription given to them by a doctor.

The Slivnitsa test project was to continue for two months, Sega said, adding that the doctors participating in it would still have to issue paper prescriptions and other documents, as this is still the only way to legally communicate with the National Health Insurance Fund.
If proven successful however, the data on the eCards could be enlarged by adding information on patients' blood group, allergies and other chronic diseases, which should be taken into consideration when first aid is needed.

Earlier articles in the local press pointed out that the electronic cards would be free of charge for the patients. All the cost, estimated at five to six euro a piece, would be paid for by the state. Preliminary estimates showed that the whole eCard introduction operation would cost between 20 and 30 million euro. Government funds, as well as European Union money, would be used to cover the expenses.