HL7 Europe Hospital Discharge Report, published by HL7 Europe. This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 0.0.1-ci built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/hl7-eu/hdr/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

Background

This guide is part of the group of HL7 FHIR Implementation Guides published by HL7 Europe (see figure 1) to support the priority categories identified by the European Health Data Space Regulation (EHDS).

Fig. 1: HL7 EU FHIR IG overview

The EHDS regulation

The EHDS regulation defines a framework to:

• empower individuals to take control of their health data and facilitate the exchange of data for the delivery of healthcare across the EU primary use of data
• foster a genuine single market for electronic health record systems
• provide a consistent, trustworthy, and efficient system for reusing health data for research, innovation, policy-making, and regulatory activities secondary use of data

The European EHR eXchange Format (EEHRxF)

A key role in the regulation is played by the European EHR eXchange Format (EEHRxF) defined as a "commonly used, machine-readable and allow transmission of personal electronic health data between different software applications, devices and healthcare providers. The format should support transmission of structured and unstructured health data."

When the regulation will enter into application EHR-systems will be required to support the EEHRxF for providing and receiving personal electronic health data under a priority category for primary use established under the EHDS Regulation. The six priority categories are summarized in the following picture, including the Hospital Discharge Report subject of this guide.

Fig. 2: EHDS priority categories

The EEHRxF will be defined by the European Commission through a set of Implementation Acts: a proposal for these Acts is being prepared by the Joint Action 09 (Xt-EHR)

EEHRxF: not a one-fits-all solution

The EEHRxF intended use is not limited to the Cross-Borders exchange, but it includes all the possible contexts and purposes of the primary use of health data.

Considering this, there is not a one-fit-all solution covering all these scopes, but this expectation can be fullfilled only by a coherent ecosystem of specifications- hopefully based on standards - covering European common rules, cross-border and National specifications.

The follwooing figure summarized this layered approach

Fig. 3: EEHRxF proposed IG approach

A result of a collaborative effort

This activity has been carried out in a neutral working space by engaging EEHRxF-related initiatives (Xt-EHR, MyHealth@EU Architecture WG, EU-funded projects), national and regional agencies, relevant stakeholders, and interested communities (e.g. EU HL7 Affiliates, IHE Europe).

More that 150 individuals from 23 countries contributed to this result.