Epidemiological Reporting System (Epidemiologisches Meldesystem, EMS); a register according to the Austrian Epidemic Law §4)

The EMS is the central public information system for handling the Corona crisis. The system is unique in the EU in its comprehensiveness. It is connected to all levels of Austrian health administration and all laboratories are obliged by law to report laboratory test results for all notifiable diseases in electronic form and without time lags. Laboratories can submit data to the EMS in an internationally standardized format via a HL7/CDA interface. This notification process allows health authorities to keep up-to-date with epidemiological developments. Physicians can report data to the EMS via the eCard network and a web interface with authentication via Citizen Card/mobile phone signature. Depending on the relevance according to legal notification requirements, hospitals are also linked to the EMS system. Since 2010, the EMS system features web servicebased data interfaces to the EU’s ECDC and WHO. Furthermore, it includes modules for disease outbreak management and contact tracing.

Country

Austria

Institution

Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Regional Health Directorates, Public Medical Officers at District Administration Authorities, Hospitals, office-based physicians, laboratories