eSick Leave is a fundamental shift in how temporary work incapacity is managed and monitored in Serbia. Unlike previous practice, which mostly involved digitizing the paper sick leave form while leaving the rest of the process “on paper,” the new central system introduces a unified, integrated, and fully digital sick leave registry.
At the core of the system is a central registry of temporary work incapacity, providing insights into the complete sick leave history of every insured individual. This significantly reduces opportunities for misuse, as well as unintentional errors by physicians that previously occurred due to a lack of complete information about a patient’s prior sick leaves. Through the information system they already use in their healthcare institution, physicians now have access to all functionalities for managing sick leave – from opening and modifying cases, to extending and closing them, and even canceling them or referring a case to a medical commission.
Based on the entered sick leave data and patient information retrieved from central sources, the system automatically generates a certificate and report on temporary work incapacity. These documents are electronically signed and digitally distributed: to the insured person via the eHealth portal, and to the employer via the appropriate eGovernment portal, with forwarding to the Health Insurance Fund (RFZO) when necessary. This eliminates the need for patients to visit healthcare facilities solely to collect paper documents.
During the management of sick leave, the system provides physicians with recommendations on the maximum duration of leave based on the ICD diagnosis, taking into account both the cause and the history of previous sick leaves. Physicians no longer have to manually calculate remaining days or track deadlines for referral to a medical commission—the system signals at the appropriate time when such action is required.
Referring a case to a medical commission is also carried out entirely digitally, thanks to the integration of the eSick Leave system with the central system of the Health Insurance Fund (RFZO). Medical documentation is compiled electronically—by selecting reports from the eMedical Record, adding documents from a computer, or using a mobile application for scanning documents, developed specifically for this purpose. The return process has also been digitalized, so commission decisions or requests for additional documentation are delivered to physicians electronically.
For patients, this system means less administrative burden and fewer unnecessary visits to healthcare institutions. All information and documentation related to sick leave are available via the eHealth portal, while employers receive the same data through the eGovernment portal. In many cases, patients no longer need to physically appear before a medical commission, unless the nature of the decision requires it.
For the healthcare system, eSick Leave brings a unified and reliable registry, improved integration of information systems, automatic document generation, and logical controls that ensure data accuracy and consistency. Administrative burden for physicians is reduced, freeing up more time for what is at the core of their work—treating patients.
The central eSick Leave system began its pilot phase in Serbia in June 2025 with four healthcare institutions. In November, primary healthcare institutions in the territory of Belgrade were included. As of January 31, 2026, 156 institutions across Serbia are actively operating within the system, with around 5,500 selected physicians who had created approximately 250,000 sick leave records by that date.
In short, the system has moved from pilot project mode to real, everyday operation.