The Wet Signature Era in Hospitals is Over: The Era of Approval with SMS and e-Nabız has Begun

The Ministry of Health abolished the wet signature requirement in hospitals. Patient approval before medical interventions can now be given via SMS and e-Nabız.

The Ministry of Health has taken a critical step that will reduce bureaucracy in healthcare institutions and accelerate digitalization. With the new regulation, which came into force after being published in the Official Gazette, informed consent forms taken from patients before medical interventions are completely transferred to the digital environment. Disposable confirmation codes sent via SMS and the e-Pulse platform are now replacing wet signatures on pages of paper.

The regulation that came into force completely renews the process of obtaining the consent of the patient or the patient's relative before surgery and interventional procedures. Citizens can review the information texts presented to them in the hospital environment directly via e-Nabız or give approval via the password sent to their mobile phones. In this way, paper waste is prevented and the risks of loss and confusion in the approval processes are eliminated.

The system operates through two different channels:

Approval via e-Pulse: Patients can access the "Consent and Approval" tab in the application's menu, read in detail the information form regarding the procedure to be performed by the physician, and approve it directly digitally.

Single-Use Code via SMS: An SMS alternative is offered for citizens who do not actively use the digital platform or want to progress faster. The consent process becomes legally valid when the single-use verification code sent to the patient's phone is forwarded to the relevant healthcare personnel.

Strict security rules are applied in the system to prevent unauthorized transactions and possible grievances due to wrong numbers. Before proceeding with the process of obtaining consent via SMS, healthcare institutions are required to verify the patient's current phone number. Verified mobile phone information remains valid in electronic consent processes for 12 months from the transaction date. In case of a number change, re-verification must be made through the system.

The new infrastructure not only offers ease of operation, but also guarantees patient rights and medical record security. All electronic consent data received is recorded directly in the central database of the Ministry of Health. Citizens can retrospectively view which transactions they have previously approved, form texts and transaction history through their e-Nabız profiles whenever they want.