The Minimum Medical Record for Practitioners on Duty (DMMG) is a share and consultation platform containing all patient's essential medical data required in emergency cases. This prototype is now developed in the area of Verviers and in Eastern Belgium. The project is carried out by the Meditel non-profit-making organization and Professional Computing Solutions (PCSol).

The objective is to give to practitioners on duty, emergency services and mobile intervention teams a quick access to critical information about the patient, according to the duty lists. By this way, DMMG wants to improve the quality of care provided to the patients with respect to their rights. The aim is also to position the usual treating practitioner at the center of the healthcare process and to meet the new social challenges of emergency services.

The method used is a portal located on Internet with a high level of security. With the agreement of the patient, the treating practitioner transmits in a secure way to a central server all medical data that is considered as relevant in order to set up a minimum data file for the duty roles. Under the supervision of ASBL MEDITEL, access rights to the server are managed based on the active duty roles (GP and emergency practitioners).

DMMG data file is then available for all General Practitioners on duty, emergency practitioners and medical intervention vehicles (VIM). Remote reception of data (out of the hospital) is done on a laptop or PDA via GSM (GPRS) connection. In case of intervention, service on duty has access to DMMG. Every consultation or added information is transmitted to the Treating Practitioner in order to ensure healthcare continuity.

Results for the patient is the availability of reliable data about his health condition (responsibility of the patient for his health). He also avoids wasting time giving approximative medical explanations in difficult or emergency situations. The communication with the medical world is improved.

For the treating practitioner, DMMG optimizes medical data flows management and enables a prompt and precise diagnosis by others physicians even for patients at home. The physician is ensured of the healthcare continuity even during his absence. He stays in the middle of the healthcare process and he has a trust relationship with his patients and others colleagues.

Concerning the emergency services, DMMG allows an optimal management of this department by avoiding double examinations and speeding up patients handling.