Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in Bulgaria?
In 2026, Bulgaria scores 59 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 27= of 65 countries, in the Mixed band (45 to 64). Who holds the keys: Shared. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
Bulgaria's national health information system records every visit, prescription and hospital stay, with consent rules and an access history, but few patients use it.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Bulgaria?
Access to the full record scores 62 of 100 in Bulgaria, against a median of 62 across 65 countries. The Health Act gives a right to copies, and the national record shows exams, referrals, lab results, vaccines, prescriptions and hospital stays. Use is low: about 500,000 records were reachable through the eZdrave app in February 2026, so the score sits low in its band.
Can I control who sees my health record in Bulgaria?
Control and consent scores 62 of 100 in Bulgaria, against a median of 52 across 65 countries. Access by providers, the health fund and insurers needs the patient's express written consent, which can be limited and withdrawn, and patients can check an access history in the app. The patient's own GP has standing access.
Eight rights, against United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Malta and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 62 | 66 · 64 · 72 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 62 | 52 · 70 · 50 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 55 | 56 · 54 · 62 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 70 | 62 · 54 · 60 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 50 | 60 · 54 · 58 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 62 | 60 · 56 · 56 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 44 | 64 · 46 · 48 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 50 | 55 · 50 · 50 |
Black dot: Bulgaria. Hollow dots: United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Malta (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 65 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Bulgaria 59, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; gaps of 4 or less are ties.
What would Bulgaria need to change to score higher?
Bulgaria sits in Mixed (45 to 64); Strong starts at 65. The two rights furthest below the 65-country median, weighted, are protection from commercial use (50, median 55) and research and trial consent (44, median 49). The published rubric reads:
- Protection from commercial use: Clear limits on selling health data or using it for marketing, covering apps and data brokers as well as providers.
- Research and trial consent: A general opt-out that is honoured, or dynamic or opt-in consent, with a public register of research uses: 55 to 85.
Which laws give health record rights in Bulgaria?
- General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (2016): EU-wide data protection law, in force since 24 May 2016 and applying since 25 May 2018.
- Health Act (Закон за здравето) (2004): Right to copies; creates the national health information system; consent needed for third-party access since 2024.
- Ordinance N-6 of 21 December 2022 on the National Health Information System (2022): Sets patient access, consent and withdrawal, access logging, emergency access and anonymised reuse.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 43.9 2023
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 46.8 2023
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 36.3% 2023
- Record reaches private care?
- connected
"Every provider, public or private, must send a signed electronic record of each activity to the national system."
Published stories
- 2024-10-23 · zdrave.net Health fund sanctions providers after patients spot unperformed care in their records
- 2026-09-03 · Gospodari.com Patients flag 1,760 record entries they say never happened
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