Electronic medical certificates

The Act of 21 April 2017 amending the act on monetary considerations from social insurance in case of sickness and maternity (Dz.U.2017.992), provides new manner of verification of medical certificates issued in an electronic form. Currently, medical certificates may be issued in the form of an electronic document but must bear a verified electronic signature or signature attested by a trusted ePUAP profile.

This requires the physicians and other persons authorized to issue medical certificates to incur extra costs or undergo special procedures in order to be able to issue medical certificates in that form. Once the said amendment has come into force,  it would be possible to issue medical certificates also by means of certification of origin and data integrity available through a free IT system provided by the ZUS. 

New regulations will come into force on 1 December 2017 as ZUS must be given time to adjust its IT system in order to implement new means of verification of medical certificates issued in an electronic form.

If medical certificate may not be issued in an electronic form, in particular due to no access to Internet or inability to sign a medical certificate with a verified signature or signature attested by a trusted ePUAP profile or by means of certification of origin and data integrity available in IT system provided free-of-charge by ZUS, a person issuing medical certificate on the date of examination, provides the insured person with a medical certificate issued on a medical certificate specimen form printed from IT system, including the required data and information and bearing his signature and stamp. The person issuing medical certificate obtains data and information necessary to issue certificate from the person insured.

A person issuing a certificate sends it in electronic form within the prescribed time limit to an electronic mailbox of ZUS.

It is also worth noting that the transition period for issuing medical certificate in a traditional paper form has been extended. Doctors will be able to issue medical certificate in paper form only until 30 June 2018.

From 1 July 2018, all medical certificates will have to issued in electronic form.

This bulletin has been prepared to provide Contract Administration clients with general information on legal issues and is not intended to be relied upon as professional advice. Please refer to your advisor for formal advice before taking any decision or action with respect to information contained herein.