Enhancing the Continuity, Safety, and Quality of Healthcare
The Directorate of Health participates in the digital strand of projects funded by the EU4Health funding programme, and thus contributes to the European Health Data Space, which aims to ensure the continuity of care for European citizens while travelling abroad in the EU. This allows EU countries to exchange health data securely, efficiently and interoperably.
This new digital service is being introduced gradually across countries in the European Economic Area.
The project's website provides up-to-date information on which countries currently offer the service. Iceland will be able to receive and share patient summary information with other European countries in early 2026.
This refers to a summary of health data and electronic prescriptions that an individual can authorise a healthcare professional in another European country to access if they need healthcare services there. In 2026-2027, patients will have access to lab results, imaging results, including the images and hospital discharge notes. Individuals can access their health data on their personal pages in Heilsuvera.
A patient summary is a concise document that delivers essential health data about an individual. It includes, among other things, the following:
Medical diagnoses
Allergies and life-threatening conditions
Current medications
Implants, such as pacemakers
Vaccinations
Recent treatments
Pregnancy
This summary ensures that healthcare professionals treating patients outside their home country have access to essential and accurate health data about them, thus enabling continuous and safe healthcare. The information is coded according to international standards and is accessible to healthcare professionals in their language. Information on which countries offer the service at any time can be found on the project's website.
ePrescription and eDispensation allow EU citizens to obtain their medication in a pharmacy in another EU country, thanks to the online transfer of their electronic prescription from their country of residence, where they are affiliated, to their country of travel.
Information about which countries offer this service at any time can be found on the project's website.
The Directorate of Health has established and operates a secure digital communication portal that links to the European Union's communication portal. This facilitates the exchange of health data among EU countries in a safe, timely, and efficient manner. All participating European countries must connect to the secure communication portal to meet stringent standards for security and protection of personal data.
You must consent that a healthcare professional working in a European country other than your home country can access your patient summary and ePrescriptions.
To grant permission, you must log in to island.is using electronic identification and sign an authorization agreeing to share your health data. You can select a specific time period or country for which the consent is valid.
The handling and protection of personal data will always comply with current EU legislation and practices in both your country of residence and your country of stay. A healthcare professional should also inform you of your rights before accessing your data.
