Helsinki University Hospital sought clarity on how the EHDS Regulation will impact patient information systems

Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) sought clarity on how the EHDS Regulation will impact patient information systems

The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is set to transform the use of patient data by creating a unified framework for the use and exchange of health information. Helsinki University Hospital HUS is preparing for this new era with a precise situational overview that will help ensure the success of the system projects required by the reform.

“We reviewed more than 80 different information systems, of which around 40 were examined in detail — the ones containing patient data relevant to the regulation,” says Jari Kähkölä, Chief IT Architect at HUS IT Management.

These figures summarise the joint project between HUS and NHG, which assessed the impact of the EHDS and eIDAS regulations on HUS’s information systems. HUS is the biggest healthcare provider in Finland and it is responsible for organizing specialized healthcare for 2,2 million people, and in some rare cases even for all of the Finnish population (5,7 million). It is the second largest employer in the country with 27,000 employees.

The regulations will fundamentally change how patient data is handled across the European Union. The aim is that all healthcare units operating within the EU will have access to patient information in accordance with the regulation. This represents a major transformation in the information systems that support patient care.

An essential overview

Without a clear situational picture, it is practically impossible to determine how dozens of information systems should evolve. While system owners know their own environments well, understanding the implications of EU legislation is challenging. This is where NHG’s expertise proved invaluable. 

“NHG provided us with a clear model and classification of the EHDS requirements. After that, it was straightforward for us to review the data content of each system and assess how the regulation affects them”, says Jari Kähkölä. 

Equally important was the ability to present HUS leadership with a concise and coherent overview of the regulatory framework. This enables management to allocate resources correctly and avoid unnecessary costs. 

“The consultants clearly had in‑depth knowledge of the EHDS Regulation that we did not yet have. They significantly accelerated the creation of the situational overview, its interpretation, and the planning work built on top of it,” says Into Laine, System Manager from HUS. 

How HUS implements the EHDS requirements in its own operations may also influence practices elsewhere in Finnish healthcare and even abroad. 

“HUS is an exceptionally large and advanced organisation even by European standards. That’s why it is crucial that it takes the EHDS seriously and prepares early. HUS’s operating model may shape how the regulation is applied more broadly,” says Mikko Huovila, Principal Consultant at NHG.