The EMR information sharing service is a core piece of medical DX. Even those who know the name often haven't grasped what is shared, how it relates to fee additions, or the standards and consent involved. This article organizes the shared information, addition requirements, HL7 FHIR standardization, patient consent, and adoption prep, based on official MHLW information.
Disclaimer: This is general information. Rules, launch timing, and fees change via revisions/notices; always confirm the latest primary sources (MHLW notices and official materials).
What it is
The service lets a patient—by checking in with the Myna insurance card and consenting to information provision—make part of the EMR information recorded at one institution viewable at other institutions nationwide. Using the online eligibility-verification infrastructure, and as part of the National Medical Information Platform, it standardizes and streamlines inter-institution linkage. It is rolling out in stages after model projects (confirm the latest status officially).
Previously, learning another institution's diagnoses, allergies, or test results relied on referral letters or patient interviews. The service shares such information in a standardized format, supporting safer, more efficient care in transfer, emergency, and primary-care linkage.
The "three documents, six information categories"
Three documents: referral letter / discharge summary / health checkup result report.
Six categories: diagnoses / allergy information / contraindicated-drug information / infectious-disease information / test information (emergency and lifestyle-disease related) / prescription information.
Allergy and drug-contraindication data bear directly on patient safety. Because the exact definitions are updated in official materials, confirm the latest definitions in MHLW primary sources such as "Handling of Document Information (3 documents) and EMR Information (6 categories)" at implementation.
Standardization via HL7 FHIR
The crux is sharing information structured to a standard. The service presumes support for HL7 FHIR (an international standard for exchanging health information) and registering/exchanging the six categories via standard codes (for diagnoses, tests, etc.). Free-text alone cannot realize the value, so whether the EMR supports the standard and builds standardized entry into operations is key.
Patient consent and data protection
Sharing EMR information requires the patient's consent to information provision. Because clinical data is "special care-required personal information," set up a proper consent flow (clear explanation and recording at reception). Design the institution's safe management per the three-ministry guidelines (see Implementing the Three-Ministry Guidelines; for handling of personal data, the legal view of generative AI is also useful).
Relation to fee additions
Support relates to medical-DX fee additions. The electronic clinical information coordination fee, among others, increasingly positions support for this service—alongside online eligibility verification and electronic prescriptions—as a system requirement. Because point values, requirements, and deadlines are revised each cycle, we avoid asserting them; confirm the latest via MHLW/regional bureau notices.
Adoption prep
- Online eligibility verification in operation (the prerequisite)
- EMR standard (HL7 FHIR) support: register/exchange the six categories via standard codes
- Standardized entry of the six categories via standard codes
- Consent flow: properly obtain and record consent at reception
- Apply and connect on the portal
The key is whether the EMR supports the standard. Because retrofitting an existing EMR can be costly, if you are choosing one now, evaluate on standard support as a premise.
With AI Karte
Pottech's AI Karte, AI-native by design, handles data structured from the start—making it easier to manage diagnoses, allergies, and prescriptions in a standardized form and to support the standards the service requires. Voice-to-SOAP reduces documentation burden while accumulating structured data. Rececon-integrated, it connects booking, intake, records, and billing on one platform, with a three-ministry-compliant security design (see Designing Security for an AI EMR).
Conclusion
The service safely shares patient information across institutions to raise quality and safety. Considering the three documents/six categories, additions, HL7 FHIR, and consent, "can it support information sharing?" becomes a key axis in choosing an EMR. As rules update toward wider operation, always confirm the latest official content. Please feel free to contact us.
References and sources
- MHLW, "EMR Information Sharing Service"
- MHLW, "Handling of Document Information (3 documents) and EMR Information (6 categories)"
- MHLW, "About Online Eligibility Verification"
This is general information. Rules and fees change via revisions/notices; confirm the latest primary sources in practice.