The eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure (eHDSI) enables seamless cross-border healthcare by facilitating medical data exchange within the EU, improving patient care through ePrescription and Patient Summaries.
Current Implementation Status
As of February 2025, the eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure (eHDSI) is actively facilitating cross-border health data exchange across EU member states [1]. The system primarily operates through two key services: ePrescription, which enables citizens to obtain medication in different EU countries through online prescription transfers, and Patient Summaries, which provide essential health information including allergies and current medications to healthcare providers across linguistic barriers [1]. This digital transformation is supported by the EU4Health Programme (2021-2027), ensuring continuous development and implementation of cross-border health services [1].
Infrastructure and Governance
The eHealth Network, established under Directive 2011/24/EU, provides the legislative framework for this digital healthcare initiative [3]. The network connects national health authorities and is governed by Commission Implementing Decision 2019/1765 [3]. The infrastructure’s operation is overseen by the eHealth Operational Management Board (eHOMB), which supervises service provision and makes critical operational decisions regarding the eHDSI [3]. Member states can establish their services through National Contact Points for eHealth (NCPeH), with funding support from EU programs [1].
Market Impact and Future Growth
The implementation of eHealth services is part of a rapidly expanding global market. According to recent market analysis from February 2025, the global eHealth market, valued at USD 346.94 billion in 2023, is projected to reach USD 1567.73 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 18.26% [6]. This growth is primarily driven by increased adoption of telemedicine, electronic health records (EHRs), and remote monitoring systems [6]. The Health Information System (HIS) segment currently holds a 38.5% market share, with e-prescribing emerging as the fastest-growing segment [6].
Future Developments and Expansion
The eHDSI is set to expand its services beyond current offerings, with plans to implement sharing capabilities for medical images, laboratory results, and hospital discharge reports across the EU [1]. This expansion aligns with the European Commission’s broader digital health strategy and the establishment of a European Electronic Health Record exchange format (EEHRxF) [3]. The system’s development is particularly crucial as healthcare systems face increasing demands, with special attention being paid to ensuring interoperability and security in cross-border health data exchange [1][3].