Czechia’s Patient Portal
A new app named Patient Portal (Portál Pacienta) will be available to residents of Czechia from 2026. From now on, patients’ medical records will be sent to them digitally, although we note that it is not yet clear if this app will be available to expats.
Petr Foltýn, Director of the National Center for Healthcare Electronic Information, told the press:
“From January 2026, the discharge report will be created in a standardized, digital form in all hospitals. If the hospital is connected to an information exchange network, which is almost certain for larger facilities, patients will receive the report in their EZ Karta, from where it can be sent in PDF format to an email or another platform.”
However, the current EZ Karta app, which is available to foreigners, will contain a map of doctor’s offices, and is due to also contain vaccination records and check-up data. Foltýn says that:
“We are carefully working to ensure that, in addition to vaccinations, the app will eventually display data on preventive check-ups with a general practitioner and, in the future, hospitalization records.”
If you’re an expat in Czechia, keep an eye on the news in relation to these new healthcare hubs and your access to them.
NHS Covid Vaccinations
The NHS says that all those who are eligible can receive a spring booster shot, so if you are back in the UK this spring, you might want to consider getting vaccinated while you’re in Britain.
The NHS says that vaccinations will be offered to:
- adults aged 75 years and over
- residents in a care home for older adults
- people aged between six months and 74 years who have a weakened immune system and are at a greater risk from severe illness
- people who turn 75 years old between 1 April and 17 June 2025
Measles Is on the Rise in Europe
The EU has seen a significant rise in outbreaks of measles in recent months. WHO regional director Dr Hans Kluge told the press in March that a total of 127,350 cases were reported in Europe in 2024. This is double the number of cases reported for 2023 and the highest number of cases since 1997. Doctors attribute the rise in cases to hesitancy around the measles vaccine, warning that measles is not only highly unpleasant and potentially deadly, but can also “wipe” the immune system’s memory of how to fight other diseases.
Over 100,000 people died from measles in 2023, mostly unvaccinated children under the age of five. So far in 2025, 38 deaths have been reported in the European region. Romania has seen the highest number of cases, with around 30,000 infections. In the USA, measles has caused two deaths to date — the first in a decade — despite the disease being declared virtually eliminated in 2000. Several hundred cases have now been reported across 17 states.
The UN says that “It is imperative that countries analyse the root causes of outbreaks, address weaknesses in their health systems and strategically utilise epidemiological data to identify and close coverage gaps.”
Greece Is Europe’s Front Runner for Medical Tourism
In recent years, Greece has invested heavily in medical tourism, particularly in the field of IVF. The country established the National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction in 2005, creating a strong legal framework for such treatments. Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni describes Greece as “one of the most attractive destinations for women and couples from Europe, and beyond, who want to become parents.”
Clinics in Greece expect British couples to make up 20–30% of their international clients by 2026. IVF treatment in Greece is significantly cheaper than in the UK: in 2023, using donated eggs cost up to £12,000 in Britain, compared to around €6,000 in Greece — roughly half the price.
Dr Channa Jayasena, a reproductive endocrinologist at Imperial College London and Hammersmith hospital, explains:
“The UK has two very different models of pricing: one is the NHS, which is shrinking, and the other one private. It is hard to afford IVF treatment in the UK, so people are visiting other countries as it is a cheaper option.”
Moreover, in Greece, egg donors remain permanently anonymous, unlike in the UK.
Case Study: Cross Border Precarity
A new study published in Globalization and Health explores how public health emergencies worsen the challenges faced by expatriates and their families across borders. Focusing on the recent pandemic, it highlights the particular strains imposed on expats during Covid.
The authors argue for integrating expatriate needs into the International Health Regulations (IHR), including comprehensive guidelines for repatriation and expatriate-inclusive country assessments. While the study centres on Keralans abroad, its findings apply more broadly to all expats navigating “the complex interplay of restricted mobility, job loss, limited access to healthcare, and xenophobic racism.”
Estonia: Healthcare System Is ‘At Breaking Point’
The Estonian Foresight Centre warns that Estonia’s healthcare system is at breaking point, facing the same pressures seen across many Western countries: an ageing population, a shortage of specialist personnel, and a heavy reliance on overworked staff. Around 59% of medical workers hold more than one job, and half of Estonia’s GPs are now over 60.
Unlike some other EU nations, Estonia has relatively few overseas medical staff, with just 4.5% of doctors and 0.2% of nurses coming from abroad. The Estonian Qualifications Authority projects a need for around 7,000 healthcare professionals over the next decade, but the number qualifying is expected to fall short by more than 1,000 — particularly in nursing.