On 28 May 2025 EHTEL members gathered for the third meeting of the EHTEL European Health Data Space (EHDS) Implementers' Task Force. This meeting panellists offered answers to the question: What does the EHDS definition of electronic health record (EHR) systems mean for implementers? It offered special insights into what is needed by implementers – like digital innovation/competence centres, digital transformation agencies, software manufacturers, and professional associations – in terms of EHR systems.

⚜️ The meeting's report and videos are now available for EHTEL members, on the Member Workspace.

The meeting was supported by the Xt-EHR project: 

Xt-EHR offers vital support to the EHDS especially in terms of what European Member States can do to adopt the official format of EHR systems.

Source:Xt-EHR project

Several key messages from the meeting help you to understand the EHDS better: 

• The EHDS definition of EHR systems is intentionally wide.

• There is no one size-fits-all for the format of EHR systems.

• An incremental, “meet-in-the-middle" approach will be useful.

• Stakeholders will have to deal with uncertainty.

Further helpful observations on the task force:

EHTEL and its task force will continue to work on developments towards implementation of the EHDS. EHTEL EHDS task force activities will continue.

The task force’s upcoming activities

Activities include:

• Acting as an “implementers’ testing platform” for progress on projects’ reports and deliverables that are currently in preparation. (Projects involved include xShare, i2X, and MyHealth@MyHands)
• Sharing experiences so that implementers can learn either from other Member States or from international best practice.
• Organising more webinars and workshops either for members only or the wider community/communities.
• Embedding EHDS-implementers' testing platform topics in the EHTEL Thought Leader 2026 Symposium.