FAQs
MyHealth@EU is a cross-border digital infrastructure for the exchange of health data between EU Member States. It is part of the EU’s eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure (eHDSI), which aims to ensure the continuity of care for European citizens while they are travelling abroad in the European Union.
MyHealth@EU allows citizens to access their electronic health records (EHRs) from any EU Member State currently participating in this infrastructure. It also allows healthcare professionals to access patient data from other EU Member States, with the patient’s consent. This can help to improve the quality of care that patients receive, as healthcare professionals will have access to more complete information about their patients’ medical history.
Currently, Member States can exchange Patient Summary, ePrescription and eDispensation information, and soon new services will become available: laboratory results, medical images and reports, discharge letters and rare diseases (patient summary).
Improved quality of care: MyHealth@EU can help to improve the quality of care that patients receive, as healthcare professionals will have access to more complete information about their patients’ medical history.
Reduced costs: MyHealth@EU can help to reduce the costs of healthcare by reducing the need for duplicate tests and procedures.
Overall, MyHealth@EU is a promising initiative that has the potential to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery in the European Union.
Croatia, Spain, Estonia, France, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Portugal, Greece, Latvia.
Yes. The European Commission and the Member States have united to confront this issue collectively with the aid of technological advancements.
If you’re a resident of the European Union and become ill during a temporary stay abroad, you have the right to obtain any medical care you need if you can’t wait to return to your country.
The European Health Insurance Card is recommended since it serves as tangible evidence of your coverage in an EU.
An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s medical record that includes information such as the patient’s demographics, medical history, allergies, medications, immunizations, laboratory results, and radiology reports.
EHRs can be accessed by authorized healthcare providers making it easier for providers to coordinate care and ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment, and offers several benefits for both patients and providers, such as:
Improved access to their medical records: Patients can access their EHRs online or through a mobile app. This makes it easier for them to keep track of their medical information and share it with their providers.
More accurate and complete medical records: EHRs are less likely to contain errors than paper medical records. They are also more complete, as they can include information from multiple providers and healthcare settings.
Better coordination of care: EHRs make it easier for providers to coordinate care. For example, a provider can see which medications a patient is taking from other providers, and they can also see the results of recent tests and procedures.
Reduced medical costs: EHRs can help to reduce medical costs by reducing the need for duplicate tests and procedures. They can also help to improve the quality of care, which can lead to fewer complications and hospitalizations.
The European Health Data Space is a health-specific ecosystem made up of common rules, standards and practices, infrastructures, and a governance framework, which aims to.
- Empower people through greater digital access to and control of their electronic personal health data at national and EU level and support its free movement by fostering a true single market for electronic health record systems, relevant medical devices, and high-risk AI systems.
- Provide a coherent, reliable, and efficient framework for the use of health data for research, innovation, policy-making and regulatory activities.
A patient summary (PS) is a brief, uniform document that includes key details regarding a patient’s health. It is often produced by a healthcare expert and shared with other healthcare professionals who are providing treatment for the patient.
Typically, the PS contains details of the patient identification (name, date of birth, address, health identification), allergies, chronic medication, medical history (e.g., chronic conditions, surgeries, medical procedures, and diagnoses), vaccines and health unit family doctor information.
The PS can help healthcare professionals to provide better care to patients by giving them quick and easy access to essential information about the patient’s health. It can also help to reduce the risk of medical errors by ensuring that all healthcare professionals have the same information about the patient, improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery.
Portuguese citizens may, at any time, authorize or withdraw authorization for their electronic Health Summary to be viewed by health professionals from Member States, in the SNS 24 Personal Area.
To generate and authorize the sharing of their Patient Summary, citizens must access their SNS 24 Personal Area and “Start Session”. After authenticating, the main screen appears, where you must click on “My records” > “Patient summary”, and following the steps described there, the Patient Summary is automatically generated. Then, the citizen must authorize the sharing of their Patient Summary, if you want it to be accessed in international emergency situations, by accessing the website mentioned on that same page (“Authorize here the sharing of your clinical summary with health professionals from other Member States of the European Union in the context of cross-border provision of care.”). It is also possible to carry out authorizations in the main menu, in “My area” > “Authorizations”. There, the citizen must verify the permission of the following condition to consent to access to their Patient Summary by foreign health professionals:
• “I agree that part of my Patient Summary (in particular, my diagnoses; my allergies; my procedures; my chronic medication) may be transferred/presented to a healthcare professional, a doctor registered in one of the European Union countries, in the context in which health care is provided to me.”
Electronic Prescription (eP) is a digital version of a prescription done by a certificated healthcare provider. In MyHealth@EU context, this ePrescription is transferred online from the country of residence, where a citizen is affiliated, to their country of travel (country of treatment) where it can be dispensed.
Electronic dispensation (eD) is described as the act of electronically consulting a medical prescription and electronically communicating the dispensation of the medicine to the patient. Within the scope of MyHealth@EU, electronic dispensation allows citizens to obtain medicines from a pharmacy, located in a Member State with active service, through the corresponding electronic prescription issued in the country of origin. After dispensing, information is sent to the country of origin that the prescription has been dispensed.
Personal information is handled and protected in compliance with current General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), an EU Regulation, as well as customs in both your home country and the nation you are visiting. In some nations, sharing of data may be allowed by law or need your signature on a consent form.
This action will support Portugal´s objective to improve its national cross-border health services in the scope of MyHealth@EU. This will involve the development and launch of the new Laboratory Results sharing service as well as the maintenance and expansion of the present Patient Summary and electronic Prescription and Dispensation services, with the aim of making full use of MyHealth@EU services.
One of the main goals in order to further improve the quality and safety of healthcare provided to a European citizen, temporarily residing in a different Member State of the European Union, is to disseminate and encourage the use of these services among citizens and health professionals.
The OurHealth@PT project is a major initiative that has the potential to transform the Portuguese healthcare system. By making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and sustainable, the project can help to improve the health and well-being of all Portuguese citizens.
The OurHealth@PT action is co-financed by the European Union, EU4Health Program 2021-2027 under Grant Agreement Nr. 101126820. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Union European or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the grant-awarding authority can be held responsible for these opinions.
