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21 October 2025 | Policy Analysis
Recent reforms in public health and prevention -
07 January 2025 | Country Update
ePrescription helps patients avoid excessive pharmaceutical co-payments -
09 November 2024 | Policy Analysis
Advancements in healthcare digitalization
2.6. Health information systems
Almost every health care provider in Czechia uses a computerized information system to charge HIFs for services, pharmaceuticals and materials provided. All HIFs follow a standardized procedure for transmitting claims data from providers and use an information structure managed by VZP. Reimbursement databases have recently been used also for economic analyses, though the data (due to their structure) are not readily suitable for disease management and other health-related analyses.
Data for health policy and research purposes are collected by ÚZIS, whose main tasks are to manage and refine the NZIS. By collecting and processing information concerning health status and care, and providing information for research purposes, the NZIS ensures compliance with data privacy laws and has 12 health registers. These include the National Cancer Register, the National Register of Hospitalized Patients, the National Register of Healthcare Providers, the National Register of Health Professionals and the National Register of Reimbursed Health Services. Data in the registers are periodically provided by providers, administrative authorities, HIFs and educational facilities (usually monthly, quarterly or annually) (MZČR, 2016).
The National Register of Healthcare Providers contains publicly available information on all health services (though not information on health workers); it also includes social care providers who, under specific legal circumstances, provide health services. Data from other registers are available to lawfully listed institutions (MZČR, medical chambers, SÚKL, etc.). ÚZIS also makes some information available via its analyses, and some data can be requested (according to the guarantee on free access to information) (Act no. 106/1999 Coll.).
ČSÚ determines the Programme of Statistical Surveys, which lists the reports that MZČR (through ÚZIS) annually requires from all providers (both public and private), mainly including aggregate data on treated patients, information about available personnel and physical resources, including wages of health workers, and the provider’s economic situation (only for inpatient facilities). The reports are customized for around 60 segments of outpatient care (including the number of examinations, registered and treated patients) and inpatient care (including categories of services provided and average waiting times for chosen services, though these data are not systematically collected, meaning that inpatient facilities rely on estimates); not all information from these reports is made publicly available, however. ČSÚ publishes data on health accounts (health expenditures) in the System of Health Accounts structure. Some public health data are also gathered by RPHAs and SZÚ, and are analysed and published by SZÚ, such as data on infectious diseases, health-risk factors and environmental measures (such as bathing water quality).
Quality indicators, like performance success rates for individual providers, are generally not available to patients, even though both internal (obligatory) and external (voluntary) quality assessments take place. The Health Insurance Bureau (Kancelář zdravotního pojištění, HIB) runs the Quality Indicators Portal, making measurement and monitoring indicators accessible to target stakeholders (for example, HIFs, providers, state authorities and professional organizations) for better decision-making and quality improvement – at the time of writing, these included measures related to treatments in gynaecology, surgery, neurology and prescriptions. In the future, the HIB would also like to publish selected data (such as number of services performed) to improve the orientation of the general public regarding health services in Czechia (HIB, 2021).
External quality and safety assessments are voluntary and used to assess the organizational level of care provision in inpatient facilities, based on assessment standards. These are performed by certified individuals or organizations and are valid for three years (Health Service Act, 2011). A comprehensive review of health care quality in Czechia was last conducted by the OECD (2014).
Some providers (mainly inpatient facilities) also distribute patient satisfaction questionnaires for their own purposes. In 2020, MZČR launched the National Patient Satisfaction Assessment, the aim of which was to standardize part of the internal quality assessment. The evaluation takes the form of a questionnaire and the provider participation is voluntary; results are intended for internal management use rather than public rankings.
Further advances in information technology (IT) and eHealth are discussed in section 4.1.3.
Prevention and protection of public health are essential for reducing disease burdens, improving population health, and ensuring a resilient and sustainable health system. Below are several examples of recently discussed and accepted measures targeting areas of prevention and protection in Czechia.
Primary care
In September 2025, the Ministry of Health, together with general practitioner representatives, introduced a reform of preventive check-ups and additional measures to strengthen disease prevention and the role of GPs in primary care. The reform aims to enable earlier detection of serious diseases and enhance cooperation between the Ministry and GPs. It expands laboratory testing – covering liver function, blood glucose, kidney function, lipid profile and ECG – and strengthens the early detection of dementia, osteoporosis and chronic kidney disease. Preventive check-ups will be more individualized, with greater emphasis on vaccination, screening and patient history. GPs will also play a more active role in informing patients about the importance of preventive programmes and the risks of non-participation.
Moreover, from 2026, dispensary care for people with cognitive disorders will be added to the existing monitoring by GPs of degenerative diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems (amendment to Decree No. 39/2012 Coll. on dispensary care). This extension emphasizes the key role of primary care in early detection, ongoing monitoring and coordination of care for these patients. Dispensary care refers to specialized medical follow-up aimed at the systematic, long-term monitoring and management of the health status of patients who are at risk of, or suffer from, a serious disease, with the goal of preventing complications.
Focus on children
Effective from 2026, the amendment to Decree No. 39/2012 Coll. on dispensary care will also introduce regular monitoring of overweight children. The inclusion of overweight and obesity to the conditions subject to dispensary care by paediatric GPs reflects the growing prevalence of childhood obesity in Czechia and the need for systematic preventive and follow-up care. The amendment emphasizes long-term lifestyle guidance, complication prevention and family education. The amendment also expands the list of conditions regularly monitored by child and adolescent psychiatrists. The new monitoring includes anxiety disorders, cases related to child abuse or neglect, adolescent diagnoses such as self-harm, and severe non-organic encopresis and secondary enuresis. The aim is earlier diagnosis, timely intervention and ongoing support for children, helping prevent deterioration and further complications.
From 2025, early detection of serious eye disorders in children under three has been organized as a national screening programme, building on initiatives started in 2022. The first three years of life, particularly the first 12 months, are crucial for proper visual development. The programme aims to prevent permanent vision problems by identifying refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other eye conditions at an early stage, including children with and without family histories of eye disorders.
On 1 September 2025, an amendment to the decree on school meals came into effect, introducing the most significant changes in over 30 years. The reform aligns school catering with the latest nutritional recommendations, improves menu quality and variety, and reduces excessive salt, added sugars and highly processed foods. These updates were developed with input from doctors, nutritionists and public health experts. Meals are designed to be nutritious, appealing and feasible to prepare in school canteens. A transitional period until 1 September 2026 allows schools to gradually implement the new rules, supported by a detailed methodology.
Mental health care
In September 2025, the Ministry of Health, together with the National Mental Health Council, introduced a new Concept for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as part of broader efforts to improve access and quality of mental health care. The reform expands acute inpatient capacity, community and outpatient services, and introduces modern treatment approaches, including telemedicine and digital cognitive behavioural therapy. It also develops new acute and community services, day-care centres, and specialized adolescent wards, supported by an online information portal (nzip.cz/dusevni-zdravi) for families. The ministry addresses workforce shortages through expanded residency programmes, simplified specialty training, and new accreditation schemes for psychologists and psychotherapists.
In October 2025, the ministry launched a call for applications to pilot Acute Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics under the Development of Acute Psychiatric Care project. The 14-month pilot, funded for up to ten facilities, will test operational models, gather data for sustainable financing, and provide temporary care for patients with acute mental health needs who lack a regular psychiatrist.
Oncology
From 2026, preventive colorectal cancer screening will be covered by statutory health insurance for people aged 45 and over, expanding eligibility from the previous threshold of 50 years. However, for the first time, the programme will institute an upper age limit of 74 years.
From 2026, a new complex oncology centre will open in the Karlovy Vary Region, which has so far had among the poorest access to cancer care. The facility will allow most examinations and treatments to be carried out locally, reducing the need for long-distance travel while maintaining access to specialized procedures at higher-level centres.
Also from 2026, every complex oncology centre in Czechia will have a dedicated patient coordinator. These coordinators will help patients navigate the often-complex healthcare system – from the first contact to the start of treatment – by ensuring continuity of examinations, supporting staff with administrative tasks and guiding patients between departments. Their role aims to reduce waiting times, prevent delays, and improve patient comfort and confidence.
Vaccination
From October 2025, a pilot project allows flu vaccinations to be administered in selected pharmacies in three big cities of Czechia (Prague, Brno and Ostrava). The Ministry of Health aims to boost vaccination rates and strengthen pharmacies’ role in prevention. However, general practitioners have criticized the plan, arguing that pharmacists lack the necessary expertise and that the measure will not benefit patients or the healthcare system.
Digital tools and technology
Recognizing its importance for public health, the Ministry of Health, together with ÚZIS and the National Institute of Public Health (SZÚ), launched on 1 July a pilot of automated infectious disease reporting from primary care. Data are transmitted directly to the Infectious Disease Information System (ISIN), providing fast, accurate information while reducing administrative burden for doctors and regional health authorities. This digital tool enables quicker responses to epidemic threats and strengthens population health protection.
In recent years, Czechia has also introduced a fully digitalized central vaccination registry that collects real-time data from all healthcare providers, significantly reducing administrative burden. The system provides immediate overviews of vaccine distribution, capacity and coverage, with data openly accessible to professionals and the public.
From 2026, the app EZKarta will expand its functionality. It will include a “health index”, a type of alert guiding users on preventive check-ups and other health activities. If eligible for a free screening, the app will send mobile notifications. EZKarta already provides an overview of vaccinations, completed preventive check-ups, screening tests and links to other Ministry of Health web services, with additional features to be added over time.
References
https://mzd.gov.cz/tiskove-centrum-mz/prevon-2025
https://mzd.gov.cz/tiskove-centrum-mz/koordinovat-je-slusnost
https://www.nzip.cz/clanek/2428-screening-zavaznych-ocnich-vad-u-deti
https://www.zdravotnickydenik.cz/2025/07/demence-i-obezita-praktici-detsti-psychiatri-dohlednou-na-vic-pacientu
https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2025-341
https://www.zdravotnickydenik.cz/2025/10/elektronizace-ezkarta-ezadanky-foltyn
Starting from January 2025, patients only pay deductible co-payments for partially reimbursed medicines at the pharmacy up to the protective limit relevant to them. Prior to this, people also encountered co-payments exceeding this limit and were quarterly refunded by their health insurance fund (HIF).
This change was possible due to improvements in the monitoring of protective limits for deductible co-payments. Deductible co-payments are now registered online in the ePrescription system, and so pharmacists know when dispensing whether patients have reached their set limit based on their age. From 2025, the ePrescription system will also contain information on recipients of invalidity pensions. From 2026, it will contain information on the degree of invalidity as well.
Patients will continue to pay the non-reimbursable part of the co-payment, as well as the price of medicines that are not covered by statutory health insurance, as they do today.
In October 2024, the government approved an amendment to the Act on eHealth (passed in 2021), to fundamentally modernize healthcare and make access to health information more efficient. The amendment includes important digitisation projects that will enable easier management of health data for citizens and medical personnel and will contribute to improving the functioning of the entire system. This motion now has to pass through the Chamber of Deputies and Senate (in both, the government coalition currently holds the majority) and be signed by the president to be effective.
The amendment will bring a whole range of new tools, including eŽádanka (eReferral), further development of the EZKarta application (see below), as well as the addition of data in the patient registers, such as information on the ability to drive motor vehicles or hold a firearms license (linked through the departments of the interior and transport). All of this will follow on from the already approved and currently tested functions of electronic healthcare.
New functions of the eHealth application
The electronic health application EZKarta newly includes vaccinations administered between 2010 and 2022 and reimbursed from statutory health insurance. This is an addition to records that have already been displayed in the application: all vaccinations since 2023 (both reimbursed and not reimbursed from statutory health insurance) and all COVID-19 vaccinations. Vaccinations paid out-of-pocket between 2010 and 2022 are not displayed.