Is Your Healthcare Organisation Ready for the EU's Data Revolution?

3 Strategies to Navigate EU Digital Sovereignty & Stay Ahead in Healthcare

You're diagnosed with a chronic illness and receive specialised treatment in your home country. While traveling within the EU, you experience a sudden flare-up and urgently need access to your detailed medical history, including medication information and past treatments. This crucial information, however, resides back home, locked away due to varying data regulations across the continent. This situation is very real for Europeans, and reveals a critical gap in interoperability and raises concerns about data security during cross-border transfers, especially with the potential for breaches in foreign systems.

This is where the concept of digital sovereignty comes in. The EU is currently pushing for greater control over its data and technology across all sectors, including healthcare. This initiative aims to address the challenges highlighted in the before-mentioned scenario, potentially offering solutions that ensure seamless access to patient data, whilst bolstering data security, within the EU.

The question remains. Can digital sovereignty provide the key to unlocking secure and readily available healthcare information across the EU? This article delves into the potential benefits, challenges, and key strategies surrounding this ongoing debate, analysing the impact on patients, healthcare providers, and the future of data-driven healthcare within the continent.

What is digital sovereignty & why is it important?

Digital sovereignty signifies a country's right and ability to significantly control its data, IT infrastructure, and technologies. This control aims to:

• safeguard sensitive data from unauthorised access or misuse;
• align technology use with regulations and ethical principles established within the country;
• manage where and how data is kept, used, and accessed; and
• foster the creation and use of technology within the country.

It emphasises the ability to make informed choices about technology implementation and regulation, independent of undue influence from external parties. While digital sovereignty doesn't necessitate complete isolation, it allows countries to:

• choose partners strategically;
• negotiate better terms in partnerships; and
• protect national interests in the global tech and data landscape.

In the EU healthcare sector, data localisation translates to keeping patient data within the EU. This aims to improve data control, security, and compliance with evolving data sovereignty regulations, but it may also introduce challenges like potential cost increases or hindering international collaboration in research.

What are the challenges of implementing policies related to digital sovereignty?

While pursuing digital sovereignty offers potential benefits, there are also challenges to consider:

• Interoperability hurdles: Strict data localisation could hinder interoperability between healthcare systems across borders, potentially impacting collaboration in research and patient care.
• Cost and efficiency concerns: Developing and maintaining domestic IT infrastructure might be more expensive than relying on established international providers, impacting healthcare budgets.
• Potential talent shortages: Implementing and managing domestic solutions might require specific skillsets not readily available in all EU member states.

How does digital sovereignty impact organisations and individuals in the healthcare sector?

By acknowledging the multifaceted impacts on various stakeholders and fostering collaborative solutions, the EU can leverage digital sovereignty to not only protect patient data but also empower innovation and improve the overall health and well-being of its citizens:

• Patients stand to benefit from increased data control and enhanced security measures ushered in by digital sovereignty. However, maintaining seamless interoperability across healthcare systems, especially for cross-border care, remains a critical concern. Without standardised data formats (like Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and secure data exchange platforms, patients risk fragmented care experiences due to limitations in cross-border data sharing.

• Healthcare organisations across the EU must adapt their data management practices and potentially invest in domestic, interoperable healthcare technologies. This transition, while demanding, presents an opportunity to foster innovation in the sector and strengthen overall cybersecurity.
• Healthcare professionals might face limitations in accessing familiar technologies and will likely require additional training in new solutions. Nonetheless, this shift also creates opportunities for acquiring new skills related to data-informed healthcare delivery.

3 strategies healthcare leaders can take to address digital sovereignty in their organisations

1. Strengthen cybersecurity: Implement robust cybersecurity protocols:a. Train staff: Regularly train personnel on data security and identifying cyber threats.b. Secure your network: Implement technologies like firewalls, data encryption, and intrusion detection systems.c. Establish procedures: Set clear protocols for data access, storage, and incident response.
2. Adapt to data sovereignty regulations: Review and update data management practices to ensure compliance with evolving regulations:a. Minimise data: Collect and store only essential data for patient care and research.b. Anonymise data: When possible, anonymise patient data to minimise privacy risks.c. Control data access: Implement mechanisms to regulate who can access patient data.
3. Securely collaborate internationally: While data localisation is important, explore secure data exchange solutions to maintain collaboration in research and development:a. Standardise data formats: Adhere to established data standards, like SNOMED CT, for compatibility with partner institutions. Utilising a standardised terminology like SNOMED CT ensures consistent coding of medical concepts across different healthcare systems, facilitating seamless data exchange while respecting data sovereignty principles.b. Utilise secure platforms: Utilise secure data exchange platforms that meet national security and regulatory requirements.

The scenario of patients facing fragmented care due to data barriers is not just a hypothetical situation, it's a real concern for millions of Europeans. Digital sovereignty has emerged as a potential solution, but navigating its complexities requires thoughtful action.

Healthcare professionals have a crucial role to play in shaping the future of data management in the EU. Share your thoughts in the comments below: What are your biggest concerns and hopes regarding digital sovereignty's impact on patient care?

For everyone else, understanding these complexities empowers you to advocate for secure and accessible healthcare data across borders. Share this article with your network and join the conversation using #HealthcareOnLinkedIn.

By working together, we can unlock the full potential of digital sovereignty to create a future where patients have control over their data and receive seamless, high-quality care, regardless of where they travel within the EU.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer, any company/institution mentioned in the article, nor LinkedIn. I am not affiliated with any company nor institution named in this article.