The European Health Data Space

The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is a proposal by the European Commission to enable the quick and easy sharing of medical data and give citizens access to health data stored about them. The proposal actually consists of three parts: primary data use, secondary data use and healthcare ICT market regulation.

The primary use of healthcare data proposal puts the citizen at the centre and gives citizens rights that give them more control and say over the access and use of electronic health data about them for the delivery of care.
The secondary use of healthcare data involves the use of electronic health data for other societal purposes. For example, scientific research, innovation, and policy-making.
The third component concerns the development of a single market for digital health products and services, such as electronic health record systems. The commission wants to harmonise the rules for (product) safety, security and interoperability within the EU. By doing so, it thinks it will promote the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare. The regulation aims to keep all health data at the source.