Digital Health Data

Harnessing the power of #DataForHealth

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Health data is generated everywhere, from visits to hospitals and doctor’s practices, to smartwatches and connected medical devices (devices that are connected to the internet or other devices) that help manage your health. Making this data accessible for healthcare professionals and researchers is valuable to optimise and personalise the provision of healthcare, and to improve patient outcomes. #DataForHealth

The great potential of health data for care delivery and innovation

Health data is key for the benefit of citizens and patients, healthcare professionals as well as our healthcare systems

Data sharing can help patients and citizens manage their health data and accessing their own data as needed. Connected medical devices can also assist patients in monitoring their own conditions, thereby empowering them to manage their own health and wellbeing.

Through health data sharing, healthcare professionals can have access to the most relevant data, directly at the point of care. This can help provide more personalised treatment, increase medication efficiency and enhance time efficiency for healthcare professionals. As a result, health data sharing can improve health outcomes and the patient’s quality of life.

Health data also contributes to health system sustainability and resilience. For instance in supporting the identification of inequalities in terms of patient access, making better decisions predicting and preventing diseases as well as addressing future pandemics or other public health threats.

Health data sharing can foster the development of cutting-edge technologies

Access to health data is essential for researchers to improve the performance of existing medical devices or in-vitro diagnostic medical devices and to develop new and innovative technologies – a benefit for everyone. Additionally, health data can provide insights to patient populations suffering from the same chronic condition and similar symptoms enabling more targeted research.

In order to harness the full power of health data for research, timely access is a pre-requisite and harmonised interoperability requirements should be adhered to – ensuring that the data is transferable, readable and usable for research.

To facilitate all of this, a clear and flexible regulatory framework is needed, fostering trust in data sharing while stimulating innovation.

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Creating a balanced health data sharing ecosystem

With the European Health Data Space and the Data Act, the European Union (EU) has an unprecedent opportunity to pave the way to one of the most sophisticated regulatory frameworks for health data. Multi-stakeholder collaboration is more necessary than ever in order to turn the EU into a leading player in the health data field, and to ensure that EU citizens are benefiting from the full potential of innovation through health data.

Listen to the MedTech ON AIR episode that explains the benefits of health data for research and innovation in health technologies and how the European Health Data Space could provide what is needed to achieve the digital transformation of healthcare.

In addition, to enable innovation in the medical technology sector, it is essential that guidance is provided on the processing of health data, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Alignment in terms of implementation of the GDPR throughout the EU is key as well. Other legislative initiatives in the digital domain, such as the AI Act, should be aligned with the applicable rules for medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics, too.

When such alignment is in place, it will enable the manufacturers to make devices available as quickly as possible – for the benefit of the healthcare system, healthcare professionals and patients and citizens in particular.

Read our initial reaction to the two proposed legislations here:

Are you curious to find more insights on the benefits of harnessing the power of health data, to discover some stories about the humans behind health data and read the position of the medical technologies industry towards the Commission proposal for a European Health Data Space?

Follow our #DataForHealth campaign! Connect with us online using #DataForHealth

Be part of the campaign

Join us in promoting the value of medical technologies - download and share the materials below:

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Call to address key challenges in the final European Health Data Space: MedTech Europe’s recommendations on the EHDS Trilogue negotiations

Document paper - 06.02.2024

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Stakeholder coalition calls for legislative refinement of the EHDS

Document paper - 05.12.2023

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Joint medical technology industry perspective on the Data Act

Document paper - 09.11.2023

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Joint Statement: health organisations define EHDS’ opt out required for life saving research

Document paper - 06.06.2023

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MedTech Europe’s position on the proposed European Health Data Space Regulation

Document paper - 23.02.2023

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Innovating with health data: a story from the inside out

Blog - 02.12.2022

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Health data sharing helps create more resilient and sustainable health systems fit for the future

Infographic - 10.11.2022

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Unlocking the potential of health data is a shared responsibility of different stakeholders

Infographic - 10.11.2022

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Data-driven solutions enable innovation that improves health systems and patient outcomes

Infographic - 10.11.2022

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Data Act position paper

Document paper - 08.11.2022

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Advancing health data with a purpose

Blog - 10.11.2022

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The vast possibilities of Artificial Intelligence for our hearts

Blog - 10.11.2022

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Finding hope in a patient-driven approach to health data

Blog - 10.11.2022

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How to unlock the value of health data and digital health solutions

Blog - 14.10.2022

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The journey of health data in medical technologies – Factsheet

Document paper - 22.09.2022

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Health data sharing brings essential insights to solve the health problems of tomorrow

Infographic - 08.09.2022

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Secure data sharing means better healthcare tailored to your needs

Infographic - 08.09.2022

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Digital Technologies help you be in control of your health

Infographic - 08.09.2022

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The journey of health data in medical technologies – Visual

Infographic - 05.10.2022

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Unlocking the full benefits of health data – Recommendations from MedTech Europe

Document paper - 16.06.2021

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MedTech Europe Response to the European Commission’s call for feedback on the European Health Data Space

Document paper - 28.07.2022

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Digital data sharing can change healthcare conversations

Blog - 14.10.2022

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Empowerment through digital health

Blog - 14.10.2022

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Data Act & amended rules on the legal protection of databases – the view from MedTech Europe

Document paper - 13.05.2022

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How strong data protection can help drive digital health

Blog - 14.10.2022

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Living without fear of sudden cardiac arrest

Video - 01.07.2021

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Value of Medical Technology

Medical technologies can save lives, improve health and contribute to sustainable healthcare. Through innovative devices and diagnostics, the industry delivers value to patients, healthcare professionals, and healthcare systems and society. Medical technology companies are also drivers of economic growth and job creation across Europe.

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What is Medical Technology?

Medical technologies are products, services or solutions used to save and improve people’s lives.