What the Future of Digital Health Transformation Looks Like in Ten Years

Paris, France — At the HIMSS25 Europe conference, senior leaders from the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Commission, and Denmark's Ministry of Health convened for a pivotal fireside chat on Europe's digital health ambitions. Moderated by Gary Monk, a digital health consultant based in Portugal, and Anca del Río, WHO's data and digital health consultant, the session underscored Europe's determination to lead globally in health innovation while safeguarding public trust and patient empowerment.

The session, titled "Keeping Europe's Future Bright", brought together a powerhouse panel: Dr. David Novillo Ortiz, WHO Europe's Head of Data and Digital Health; Fulvia Raffaelli, Head of the Digital Health Unit at the European Commission's DG SANTE; and Dorte Bech Vizard, Deputy Permanent Secretary at Denmark's Ministry of the Interior and Health.

Digital Health as a Strategic Pillar

Kicking off the session, Dorte Bech Vizard framed the conversation in the broader context of European policy: "Two of the most pressing concerns for Europe today are competitiveness and security. Health data and life sciences can — and must — serve both."

Denmark, currently holding the EU Council presidency, intends to use that platform to reinvigorate Europe's lagging clinical trial capacity. "The EU has been falling behind other global regions in research and innovation," Vizard noted. "We want to initiate a political conversation on boosting clinical trials and health R&D."

On the issue of security, she stressed the dual challenge of cybersecurity and preparedness. "The precondition for leveraging health data is keeping it secure," she said. At the same time, initiatives like the EU's Critical Medicines Act call for greater data transparency to improve access and stockpiling during crises.

A New Legal and Technological Backbone

Representing the European Commission, Fulvia Raffaelli brought optimism as the EU Health Data Space (EHDS) regulation and AI Act both near implementation. "We're standing on solid ground. These frameworks create the conditions for secure, cross-border data access and the ethical deployment of AI in healthcare," she said.

The EHDS regulation ensures that EU citizens will have immediate, free access to their electronic health records anywhere in Europe. "You can forget about paperwork or lost medical histories," said Raffaelli. "Wherever you are in the EU, your care provider will have access to your medical data — with your consent — and you'll also have control over what is shared."

The regulation also supports secondary data use for research, innovation, and policymaking. "There's an act of solidarity in sharing anonymized data," she added. "It accelerates future therapies and improves public health outcomes."

Asked to envision the future, Raffaelli shared a compelling metaphor: "By 2035, I hope the EHDS becomes so seamless, people forget it exists — just like how we forgot about roaming charges. It simply works, everywhere in Europe."

WHO's Dual Mandate: Global Strategy, Local Execution

Dr. David Novillo Ortiz of WHO Europe acknowledged the growing excitement around AI but warned of basic data deficits. "While we discuss AI, we must also address that 25% of health-related Sustainable Development Goals currently lack data. AI cannot replace what's missing."

To address this, WHO is building a regional AI roadmap based on a recent survey across 50 European countries, identifying key gaps in AI literacy, ethics, and governance. At the global level, the WHO is extending its Digital Health Strategy through 2027 and has begun drafting a new framework through 2033 that will embed AI readiness.

The writing has been enhanced using AI tools but the content and subject topic is 100% human and the work of credited individual.