Progress on the European Health Data Space (EHDS): Focus on Trust and Interoperability
Much remains to be done for the European Health Data
Summary
Representatives from EU countries, industry, and international organizations discussed the European Health Data Space (EHDS). The EHDS aims to enable secure and standardized exchange of health data—such as from electronic patient files or medical registers—to improve research and care. Key technical challenges highlighted include ensuring trust, security, and interoperability via HL7 FHIR.
Details
A conference held under the Danish Council Presidency discussed the European Health Data Space (EHDS). The EHDS is intended to enable the secure and standardized exchange of health data across the EU, improving both research and care quality. Central topics included trust, security, and the ongoing public consultation for corresponding guidelines and specifications. Technically, the Technology and Methods Platform for Networked Medical Research (TMF) organized workshops that drew up guidelines and technical specifications for secondary use of health data. These define conditions covering data categories, permitted purposes, national data access point structures, and requirements for security, interoperability, and governance—forming the basis for EHDS. Experts emphasized that standards like HL7 FHIR are crucial for seamless, secure communication between different healthcare systems, accelerating digital transformation and cross-border data exchange. Furthermore, a proposed mechanism requires researchers to access data only within secure execution environments and publish only study results, rather than receiving raw data. The European Commission stated that this infrastructure is slated for establishment by 2029, when the new legal framework will fully take effect. Success hinges on transparent, collaborative public participation. The overall consensus was that while national particularities pose challenges, active involvement is necessary to build a global model for healthcare modernization.
Technology Note
FHIR（Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources）は医療データ交換の国際標準。このエントリの関連技術: FHIR
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