Reliability Of E-Health Records and The Importance of Patient Self-Reporting in International Health Information Sharing

Dear Editor Access to accurate and comprehensive patient information is crucial in family medicine practice. A recent encounter with a patient residing in Germany who required an urgent health report for a driver's license in Türkiye highlighted significant issues related to international health information sharing and the limitations of patient self-reports and existing health information systems. A 40-year-old male patient visited the family medicine clinic with his spouse, seeking a health report for a driver's license. He claimed good health, no medication use, and regular check-ups. Physical examination revealed no abnormalities, and the patient stated that he had recently undergone tests at a private hospital, which were normal. Due to his residence in Germany, there were no data available in the E-Nabız system. To proceed, the patient was asked to complete a personal health information form. He requested that his spouse fill out the form outside the clinic. Despite presenting a healthy medical history, conflicting information emerged from the personal health information form filled out by his spouse. Upon confirmation, the patient admitted these conditions but stated they were managed and monitored in Germany. He provided inconsistent responses regarding his epileptic seizures and the patient was informed about the need for referral to a neurologist. The patient contested this referral and questioned why conditions managed in Germany would be an issue in Türkiye. After providing the necessary information, the referral was carried out. The patient's spouse, returned to inform us that the neurology department could not assess the patient that day and asked if the report could still be issued. The spouse claimed to have revised the personal health information form, deleting all previous information, and requested that the report be reissued based on the updated form. The importance of providing accurate health information and the fact that the report could not be issued in this manner were reiterated to the patient. As they left the room, the spouse made a final remark: “Why should our conditions in Germany concern the doctor here?” This incident highlights critical issues regarding the security and universality of health information. This letter will examine these issues under five main headings.