The change in sick leave is coming soon: the instructions are only electronic, what does the patient have to arrange?

Starting July 1st, Slovenia's Health Insurance Institute (ZZZS) will implement a new electronic system for managing sick leave instructions. This change replaces the traditional paper-based process where a personal doctor would manually fill out and hand over a document detailing how an employee should behave during their absence due to illness or injury. Instead, the new system involves a digital document issued electronically by the chosen personal physician or substitute doctor when opening a sick leave permit. This digital format aims to streamline communication between patients, doctors, and employers while ensuring clarity on the conditions under which the individual can move around during their absence.

The transition to this electronic system has been planned carefully, with the ZZZS emphasizing the importance of establishing a digital communication channel between individuals and their physicians. Employees who have access to the zVEM portal or mobile application will receive these instructions digitally. For those without such access, alternative methods include email, patient portals, SMS messages, or even in-person delivery during clinic visits. The responsibility of ensuring receipt of these instructions falls on the individual if they lack access to the digital platform. From July 1st onwards, clinics will continue their duties by entering electronic instructions into the system, maintaining the same level of service as before.

Individuals must inform their personal physician about the reason for their temporary absence on the same day or at the latest on the first working day after the clinic’s operating hours. The ZZZS advises all citizens to establish a digital communication link with their doctor to facilitate smoother interactions. While discussions regarding treatment remain within the domain of medical professionals, it is beneficial for the physician to mention any potential changes in movement restrictions, as such modifications might indicate improvement in the patient's condition and nearing readiness to return to work.

Movement restrictions can be lifted either by allowing the individual to move freely within their residence or even elsewhere, depending on the circumstances outlined by the physician. These electronic instructions will be issued upon the initiation of a sick leave permit, as well as when there are changes in guidelines or reasons for absence. The digital document will contain detailed information about the period of validity, the reason for absence (such as care-related absences), and the start date of the absence. Employers will have access to these instructions via the SPOT portal, enabling them to stay informed about the status of their employees' sick leaves.

The implementation of this electronic system marks another step in a series of reforms aimed at improving the management of sick leave since late last year. Initially, there was a requirement to record how individuals should behave during their absence. Subsequent legal amendments introduced stricter measures, including the possibility of withholding compensation for up to five years if an individual violates their doctor’s instructions, but not exceeding thirty days. This year’s update includes standardized movement regimes ranging from strict rest at home to limited travel abroad under rare exceptions. Additionally, regular check-ups with a physician have become mandatory, typically scheduled no later than the fourth day if the sick leave continues beyond that point.

The electronic instructions serve primarily as informational documents. Only after the issuance of an electronic sick leave certificate will the accurate and final data required for calculating compensation be provided by the physician. According to recent statistics from the ZZZS, the tightening of regulations has led to a decrease in lost workdays. In the first four months of this year, there were 314,375 fewer lost workdays compared to the same period last year, resulting in savings of 28.3 million euros in compensation costs. The number of monitored cases has also seen a reduction, indicating a positive trend towards compliance with the updated guidelines.