Primary use of health data
When a healthcare provider collects data firsthand about a patient in order to provide care, this is referred to as ‘primary’ use of health data.
Primary use of data means using electronic health data, to:
- treat or rehabilitate patients
- prescribe or dispense medical products
- deliver associated social, administrative, or reimbursement services.
In contrast, ‘secondary’ use refers to reusing existing data that was collected during primary use for scientific research purposes, public interest, policy support.
Benefits from primary use of data
Patients
- immediate and free access to their digital health data
- easy sharing of data with health professionals, including when outside one’s home country
- continuity of care or asking for a second opinion in a different EU country
- possibility to add data, restrict access, see who accessed data, ask for rectification of errors
- easy methods for giving access to family members in case of need (dependents, including minors)
- depending on each EU country's rules, people can choose to withdraw from the data exchanges using the European Health Data Space (EHDS) tools.
Health care professionals
- easier and quicker access to their patients’ data, including when they come from a different EU country
- faster and better healthcare provision for visiting patients from different EU countries
- a European electronic health record exchange format will facilitate data sharing across systems by increasing interoperability.
What are the rights of individuals under EHDS
Under EHDS, individuals will be able to:
- access health data,
- download a copy of the data,
- view access logs,
- set access restrictions,
- opt-out option from data sharing (where enabled by the EU country),
- insert information into Electronic Health Record
- appoint an authorised individual to assess the data
- request rectification.
My health rights in EU countries when travelling
Regarding the use of health data for the provision of care (primary use), some EU countries have achieved high levels of digitalisation and interoperability within their borders, while others are still taking the necessary steps.
Currently, two key electronic cross-border health services are being progressively introduced across the EU:
- ePrescription (eDispensation)
- Patient Summaries.
ePrescription (eDispensation)
ePrescription (eDispensation) enables European citizens to obtain medication in EU countries without a printed prescription. A digital prescription is securely transferred online from the patient’s residence country to the country of travel. Pharmacists in the country of travel can access the prescription digitally and provide the prescribed medication. Once the medication is collected, the patient’s home country is notified (eDispensation) and the electronic health record of the patient is updated.
More information is available here: "MyHealth@EU” flyer addressed to patients and health professionals, "MyHealth@EU” Q&A.
Patient Summary
When an EU citizen is in another EU country and needs medical treatment, healthcare professionals can access his or her Patient Summary, which contains vital medical information such as allergies, current medications and medical history.
The Patient Summary will:
- help doctors develop adequate treatment, avoid some risks (for instance, allergies) and overcome linguistic barriers
- ultimately be replaced by the European Health Record, which will contain more comprehensive health data.
When I will be able to benefit of the EHDS rights in primary use?
The obligations described above will enter into application 4 years after the entry into force of the EHDS regulation i.e. on 26 March 2029. However, the current existing voluntary system MyHealth@EU may anticipate some of these benefits for the natural persons of the Member State participating into this system.
MyHealth@EU
Citizens can easily access these services by using MyHealth@EU, formerly the eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure (eHDSI). This infrastructure connects national eHealth systems across EU member states and enables cross-border exchanges of health data, including ePrescriptions and Patient Summaries.
The European Commission provides a unified Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) infrastructure and crosscutting services that provide terminology, configuration, and interoperability.
EU countries can build upon these central services by establishing National Contact Points for eHealth, (NCPeH) connected to the broader EU network. National Contact Points for digital health serve as an organisational and technical gateway and enable electronic health data exchange between countries.
Patient summaries, ePrescription and eDispensations services exist in two-thirds of all EU countries and are most frequently accessed via an online portal. However, in early 2025, only a few countries can send or receive data digitally across borders. 10 countries still use paper printouts for prescriptions.
Today, 15 EU Member States support sharing patient summaries and ePrescriptions via MyHealth@EU. Most member states are expected to join MyHealth@EU in 2025.
Under EHDS, exchanges of Patient summaries and ePrescriptions (eDispensation) should be operational in all EU Member States by 2029.
Exchanges of other health data categories, such as medical images, lab results and hospital discharge reports, should be operational in all EU Member States by 2031.
The future of primary use of health data
In addition to the Patient summary and ePrescription services, MyHealth@EU will support the exchange of other priority data categories defined in the planned EHDS Regulation. This includes laboratory results and reports, medical imaging studies and reports and discharge reports.
Some EU countries are currently deploying these services.
There is a need to support Member States in developing and deploying these new services after finalising the set-up of the basic services, for example, sending and receiving patient summaries and ePrescriptions and supporting third countries in conducting preparatory activities.
The eHDSI Monitoring Framework (KPIs) offers a variety of maps featuring key performance indicators related to the MyHealth@EU monitoring framework. These maps provide detailed insights into the performance and effectiveness of health services across the European Union.
The main initiatives preparing the implementation of the EHDS primary use of health data
The EU fosters eHealth collaboration through platforms that strengthen coordination, interoperability, and quality standards among Member States, promoting a unified approach to digital health across Europe.
eHealth Network is a voluntary network connecting national eHealth authorities designated by Member States. This network issues non-binding guidelines to support Member States in establishing technical and semantic interoperability in their health information systems, facilitating efficient and secure cross-border exchange of patient data. These guidelines provide a high-level conceptual structure for organising data, addressing the wide variety of European data standards. They aim to ensure consistency, reduce fragmentation, and prevent duplication of effort in digital health initiatives.
eHealth Member States Expert Group (eHMSEG) which comprises managers responsible for implementing the National Contact Points for eHealth (NCPeH) and are nominated by the participating countries.
eHealth Operational Management Board (eHOMB) is composed of representatives of internal services of the European Commission and eHMSEG Chairs. It oversees the provision of services and makes tactical and operational decisions for the MyHealth@EU.
