Pioneering the EU’s sector-specific data spaces: The European Health
Data Space
Publication Date/Time
2024-09-19T09:00:00+00:00
How interoperable open data and restricted health data can improve the
delivery of health services across the EU
Data is transforming the way we produce, consume and live. It is a key
driver of innovation for services and products. In our previous data
story, ‘When open data meets data spaces
[https://data.europa.eu/en/publications/datastories/when-open-data-meets-data-spaces]’,
we explored the concept of data spaces, particularly the establishment
of common European data spaces in strategic fields such as health,
agriculture, manufacturing, energy, mobility, finance and public
administration. 

Today, we are focusing on one of those data spaces, namely the
European Health Data Space
[https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_2711].
This is one of the first common European Union (EU) data spaces to
emerge from the European strategy for data
[https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/strategy-data],
which aims to create a single market for data to enhance Europe’s
global competitiveness and data sovereignty (the ability to govern and
control one’s own data). On 24 April 2024, the European Parliament
and the Council of the European Union reached a political agreement
[https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_1346] on
the Commission’s proposal for the European Health Data Space. This
landmark decision paves the way for a transformative approach to
healthcare data management and utilisation within the EU. The European
Health Data Space is a structured environment where health-related
data, including both open data and restricted data, can be securely
stored, accessed and shared among authorised stakeholders.
Practically, this means that medical researchers can access and pool
data from various sources to accelerate the discovery of
groundbreaking treatments and that medical professionals across the EU
can access a patient’s medical history (with the patient’s
consent) to provide better treatments. It is crucial to note that
access to personal health data is strictly controlled and only
available to authorised entities, ensuring the privacy and security of
individuals’ health information. The resulting improved cross-border
health system offers numerous benefits to EU citizens, including
better access to healthcare services, more efficient and effective
medical treatments and a more responsive and resilient health system
overall. In this data story, we illustrate the current state of health
data and how the European Health Data Space works in practice.
Specifically, we analyse the role of open data in this data space and
two key pillars: the HealthData@EU pilot, the pilot version of the
final European Health Data Space, and MyHealth@EU, an initiative
powered by the eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure that ensures
continuity of care for EU citizens while travelling. 

 

OPEN DATA VERSUS RESTRICTED DATA WITHIN THE EUROPEAN HEALTH DATA
SPACE 

Open data plays a pivotal role in the European Health Data Space by
reducing barriers to data sharing and promoting secure, transparent
data usage. Only a part of the data within the European Health Data
Space is open data, and this covers anonymised and aggregated data
that can be freely used, modified and shared by anyone. This type of
data helps create insights and drive research without creating any
concerns about individual privacy. On the other hand, other types of
health data within the European Health Data Space, such as personal
health records or sensitive medical information, are subject to strict
access controls and are only available to authorised users under
specific conditions, further safeguarding privacy and security. The
interaction between open data and restricted health data within the
European Health Data Space is designed to maximise the benefits of
data sharing while safeguarding privacy and security. For example,
open health data can be used to inform public health initiatives or
guide research, while restricted data can be securely accessed by
researchers or healthcare providers to develop personalised treatments
or conduct in-depth studies. 

 

THE EU’S OPEN DATA ON HEALTHCARE 

Open data related to healthcare is already available and widely used.
For instance, Eurostat maintains an extensive EU-wide database of open
health data, which can also be accessed through data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?locale=en&minScoring=0&publisher=Eurostat&page=1&categories=HEAL].
This database provides access to numerous datasets on a wide range of
health-related topics. For example, Figure 1 shows the average life
expectancy across EU Member States in 1983, 2003 and 2023. We observe
an increase in life expectancy across all Member States, with the
overall EU average rising almost 5 %, from 77.7 years in 2003 to
81.5 years in 2023. The countries leading in life expectancy have
changed over the years: Sweden had the highest average life expectancy
in 1983 at 76.7 years; Italy took the lead in 2003 with
80.1 years; and Spain topped the list in 2023 with an average of
84 years. Notably, among Member States with available data for both
1983 and 2023, Slovenia, Portugal and Luxembourg, in this order,
experienced the highest percentage growth in life expectancy over the
decades, with increases ranging between 13.5 % and 15.5 %. 

Open health data like this offers valuable insights into health
conditions and patterns but also infrastructure and services, helping
to identify areas needing improvement and guide effective
interventions. While the open health data currently available is
extensive, expanding its potential and consolidating it into a unified
data space can significantly enhance its impact. This is the goal of
the European Health Data Space. 

[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/12.Health-data-space4-01.png]

FIGURE 1: LIFE EXPECTANCY ACROSS THE EU IN 1983, 2003 AND 2023
(s_ource:_ data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/njesxzxzcssesfbuckyrsa?locale=en],
Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/explore/all/popul?lang=en&subtheme=hlth.hlth_care&display=list&sort=category]) 

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INCREASED SHARING OF HEALTH DATA THROUGH THE HEALTHDATA@EU PILOT 

The European Health Data Space aims to revolutionise the health data
economy. Its main objectives include: 

	* empowering individuals to take control of their health data by
ensuring they have access to and can manage their own health
information; 
	* facilitating the exchange of data for healthcare delivery across
the EU (primary use of data). 

It also seeks to foster a unified framework for electronic health
record systems and provide a consistent, trustworthy and efficient
system for reusing health data for research, innovation, policymaking
and regulatory activities (secondary use of data). This initiative is
expected to stimulate significant growth in the health data economy,
fostering innovation and collaboration across the EU. Figure 2
illustrates how the health data space integrates various sources of
health data to create a comprehensive repository, enhancing health
benefits for patients, researchers, innovators and regulators. For
example, policymakers and researchers will benefit from more efficient
access to comprehensive health data, which will result in better
data-based regulations and more advanced evidence-based research and
innovation. This is expected to result
[https://health.ec.europa.eu/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/european-health-data-space_en]
in EUR 5.5 billion of savings in the EU over 10 years due to the
improved access and exchange of health data in healthcare.
Additionally, the broader digital health market, which includes
services and products such as telemedicine, health apps, wearable
devices and digital health records, is anticipated to grow by
20–30 % as a result. Furthermore, better use of health data for
research, innovation and policymaking is projected to save the EU
EUR 5.4 billion over 10 years. Currently, the HealthData@EU
Pilot has been launched with 17 partners, including health data access
bodies, sharing infrastructures and EU agencies. This 2-year European
project aims to build a pilot version of the European Health Data
Space infrastructure. It serves as a foundational step towards the
full implementation of the European Health Data Space, demonstrating
the feasibility and benefits of an integrated health data space. It
will provide valuable insights and feedback that will shape the future
development and scaling of the European Health Data Space. You can
explore its functioning here [https://ehds2pilot.eu/]. 

[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/12.Health-data-space4-02.png]
FIGURE 2: OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE EUROPEAN HEALTH DATA
SPACE AND ITS RELATED BENEFITS (s_ource:_ European Commission
[https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_24_2250]) 

__ 

CROSS-BORDER HEALTH SERVICES: INTEGRATING HEALTH DATA ACROSS THE EU 

As part of the healthcare data strategy, new electronic cross-border
health services aim to be implemented progressively in the EU by 2025.
The eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure ensures continuity of care
for EU citizens travelling within the European Union by enabling
countries to securely, efficiently and interoperably exchange health
data. Under the European Health Data Space, the EU has launched the
initiative MyHealth@EU
[https://health.ec.europa.eu/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/electronic-cross-border-health-services_en],
which offers two essential electronic cross-border health services
across Member States. 

	* EPRESCRIPTION and EDISPENSATION. This service allows EU citizens to
obtain medication from pharmacies in any Member State. This not only
enhances convenience but also ensures that individuals receive
consistent and appropriate medical treatment regardless of their
location within the EU. 
	* PATIENT SUMMARIES. These summaries enable doctors to access vital
patient information in their own language, overcoming potential
language barriers when treating patients from other Member States. 

These services enable, for instance, Spanish healthcare providers to
access the medical history of a Portuguese citizen who is travelling
in Spain and requires medical attention. Similarly, they enable a
Croatian patient to visit a pharmacy in Finland and have their
prescription filled using an electronic prescription issued in
Croatia. 

Figure 3 illustrates the availability of ePrescription and patient
summaries across Member States as of July 2024. 

These services are critical because they enhance healthcare
accessibility and continuity for EU citizens, ensuring that medication
and critical health information is available regardless of
geographical location. This cross-border health data exchange fosters
improved patient care, safety and convenience, ultimately contributing
to a more integrated and efficient European healthcare system. It
reduces the risk of complications, missing information and redundant
tests. You can further explore the services available in your country
in this interactive dashboard
[https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/77f459be23e545b48f46a79cfaf19423/page/1_12/]. 

[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/12.Health-data-space4-03.png]

FIGURE 3: EU CROSS-BORDER HEALTH SERVICES AS OF JULY 2024 (s_ource:_
European Commission
[https://health.ec.europa.eu/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/electronic-cross-border-health-services_en]) 

__ 

CONCLUSION 

A sector-specific health data space facilitates secure and
interoperable health data exchange. Resulting applications such as
HealthData@EU and MyHealth@EU are key elements within this health data
space, ensuring that EU citizens can rely on consistent and
high-quality healthcare, whether at home or abroad. This integrated
approach not only improves individual health outcomes but also
strengthens the overall resilience and responsiveness of the European
healthcare system, paving the way for future advancements in health
data management and utilisation. 

Within the European Health Data Space, open data offers opportunities
for public use and research without restrictions, while other data is
subject to access controls to protect privacy and ensure that data is
used responsibly. By combining these different types of data, the
European Health Data Space aims to create a comprehensive and secure
environment that maximises the benefits of health data for all
stakeholders. 

Do you want to explore existing health-related issues through open
data? You can access numerous open datasets on data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/en]. Stay up to date on our upcoming data
stories and webinars by subscribing to our newsletter
[https://data.europa.eu/en/newsletter] and following data.europa.eu on
social media. 

 
