With the European Health Data Space now legally adopted, the focus at HIMSS25 Europe shifted from policy drafting to implementation. The EHDS-focused sessions featured policymakers, vendors and healthcare leaders from across the EU sharing their national strategies, identifying system readiness gaps and outlining what’s needed to meet the fast-approaching 2027 and 2029 compliance deadlines.

Core requirements of EHDS include the adoption of interoperable electronic health records, secure infrastructure for secondary use of health data and robust mechanisms for obtaining and managing patient consent.

Vendors also expressed concern about a lack of clarity around technical standards and certification processes. To successfully adapt products to the EHDS framework, they need timely, detailed guidance and coordinated support across markets.

Sessions concluded that EHDS implementation will require cross-border collaboration, transparency and continued investment in digital maturity, in order to redefine what’s possible for health data in Europe.