Digital Health Record (BIHR) Becomes the Standard: Transformation by 2029
De digitale lat gaat fors omhoog. BIHR verandert de praktijk van elke arts tegen 2029
Summary
In Belgium, data sharing is advancing based on the Belgian Integrated Health Record (BIHR), requiring all physicians to transition to compatible Electronic Patient Records (EPRs) by 2029. This transformation aims to structure and reuse medical data through the adoption of international standards like SNOMED CT and FHIR.
Details
Based on a new government action plan, BIHR will serve as the foundation for data sharing starting in 2026. It is not a single central dossier but a virtual system aggregating multiple sources such as Recip-e, Vaccinnet, laboratory results, imaging, and health clinics. The goal is to structure medical records using 'episodes' and 'sections,' enabling cross-disciplinary information linkage. Technically, SNOMED CT will serve as the common language for diagnoses and procedures, while FHIR dictates the structure for data packaging and sharing. This ensures that diverse medical information—such as medications, lab results, and certificates—is consistently structured and automatically reusable. Practically, physicians' EPRs are expected to undergo significant changes between 2026 and 2029, evolving from single-discipline systems into interprofessional ones. Furthermore, data privacy is enhanced by mandating GDPR compliance and requiring anonymization/pseudonymization for secondary use. Access control is also tightened. This transformation positions Belgium as preparing for the future European Health Data Space (EHDS).
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