In practice, this means that important health information can be available when it is needed for your care. This can be especially useful if you need medical help while travelling, studying, working or living in another EU country
If you are a Hungarian citizen and you need care abroad, authorised healthcare professionals in the country you visit may be able to access relevant health information from Hungary securely.
If you are an EU citizen and you need care in Hungary, authorised Hungarian healthcare professionals may be able to access relevant health information from your home country, if it is needed for your treatment.
Before your health data is accessed, the healthcare professional will inform you about how your data will be used.
Before accessing your health data, healthcare professionals must follow the national and EU rules that apply in the country where you receive care. In some situations, you may also be informed about your choices or asked for permission according to national rules.
How this can help you
EHDS and MyHealth@EU can support healthcare professionals by providing secure access to relevant health information when needed for your treatment. This can contribute to better-informed clinical decisions, safer treatment, reduced duplication of medical examinations and improved continuity of care.
Depending on the services available between participating Member States, healthcare professionals may be able to access electronic health data such as:
- Patient Summaries;
- electronic Prescriptions (ePrescriptions);
- electronic Dispensations (eDispensations);
- laboratory results;
- medical imaging reports and images;
- discharge reports; and
- other categories of electronic health data as they become available under the EHDS framework.
What this means in everyday life
If you become ill while you are abroad, or if you need medical care while staying in Hungary, your most important health information does not have to remain only in your home country.
When the service is available, relevant information can be shared securely between countries through MyHealth@EU. This helps healthcare professionals provide care based on more complete information. Availability of services and the types of health data that can be shared may differ between EU countries and may expand gradually over time as national systems are connected to MyHealth@EU.
Your data remains protected
Your electronic health data remain protected under EU and national law.
Electronic health data may only be processed for healthcare purposes or for other purposes expressly permitted by law. EHDS also establishes strict safeguards for the secondary use of health data for purposes such as scientific research, innovation, public health, statistics and policymaking. The Regulation prohibits the use of electronic health data for certain purposes, including targeted advertising, decisions that may unlawfully discriminate against individuals, and other prohibited uses specified in the Regulation.
EHDS builds on existing European data protection rules and introduces additional measures to ensure that electronic health data are exchanged securely, accessed only by authorised persons, and processed in a transparent and accountable manner.
Your rights
EHDS strengthens your rights regarding your electronic health data. Subject to the applicable legal framework, you have the right to:
- access your electronic health data;
- obtain an electronic copy of your health data;
- know how your electronic health data are used in healthcare;
- request the rectification of inaccurate electronic health data in accordance with national procedures; and
- benefit from secure and transparent processing of your electronic health data.
The exercise of these rights is carried out in accordance with the EHDS Regulation, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and applicable national legislation
