The Association of Doctors and Dentists (AMMD) has announced that two of its members resigned effective immediately from the management council of the National Agency of Shared Information in the Domain of Health, more commonly known as the 'eSanté' agency.
In the letter of resignation, signed by Dr Alain Schmit and Dr Guillaume Steichen, the AMMD explains that both physicians will step down from the management council effective immediately and that the Association does not intend to nominate new members for the governing body.
The letter notes that during the first ten years of its existence, the eSanté agency failed to properly consider and integrate the doctor corps. The statement goes even further and alleges that all initiatives to advance healthcare digitalisation were sabotaged.
Four years ago, the AMMD already accused the eSanté agency of illegally opening 23,000 patient files.
According to the AMMD letter, the Association launched its own initiative for digital patient files, which they say was boycotted. They therefore denounce current healthcare policies for being "backward and ineffective" and not in the best interest of patients.
The eSanté Agency is further described as having lost all credit, not being pragmatic, and not up to their tasks.
The Agency's management council is presided by Christian Oberlé and counts 15 members.
MPs Carole Hartmann and Gusty Graas from the Democratic Party (DP) have meanwhile filed an urgent parliamentary enquiry, addressed at Minister of Health Paulette Lenert and Minister of Social Security Claude Haagen, to find out what the repercussions of both resignations might be and whether there are efforts of reopening the dialogue with the AMMD.
PDF: Letter of resignation (FR)
PDF: Urgent parliamentary enquiry (FR)
