Opening the Vault: Germany’s Health Data Soon Accessible for Research
Starting Summer 2025, researchers and innovators across Europe will be able to apply for access to one of the largest pseudonymized health datasets in the EU—via Germany's Health Data Lab at BfArM. In this discussion, Head of Health Data Lab (BfArM) Dr. Steffen Heß, scientist with has extensive experience in combining scientific expertise with data analysis in the healthcare sector, talks about conditions to access and analyse data from the Health Data Hub, differences between digital twins, synthetic data and real world data and more.
📊 Covering 95% of the population, the dataset includes:
Claims data from 95 statutory health insurers
Linked electronic health records (from 2025)
💡 Who can apply?
Anyone under GDPR jurisdiction with a research project aligned with public interest (medical research, health system improvement, epidemiology). Industry is welcome too—as long as the purpose complies.
https://fodh.substack.com/
www.facesofdigitalhealth.com
Youtube: https://youtu.be/CltdPRvz_9w
#healthdata #digitalhealth #EHDS #AI #research #Germany #syntheticdata #healthinnovation #datasharing #privacy
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37:38
How is Europe preparing for secondary use of data in healthcare through EHDS?
Fidelia Cascini is Digital Healh expert engaged by the Italian Ministry of Health on European and national initiative. She recently wrote a book on secondary use of data in healthcare, read it here:
Secondary Use of Electronic Health Data
Public Health Perspectives, Use Cases and Challenges
https://link.springer.com/book/10.100...
This conversation covers the categorization of electronic health data, the importance of distinguishing different data types, and the potential applications and challenges in digital health. We also explore healthcare systems' digitalization, patient data privacy, the European Health Data Space (EHDS), and future public health perspectives. Learn about patient-generated data, clinical trials, and the significant role of digital health advancements in shaping the future of healthcare.
www.facesofdigitalhealth.com
Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbSCXUhIDZ8
Show notes:
01:08 Diving into Different Categories of Health Data
01:35 Discussion on Secondary Use of Data in Europe
02:16 Call for Listener Feedback
03:07 Starting the Interview with Felia Kini
03:36 Importance of Distinguishing Data Types
04:38 Challenges in Using Different Data Sources
06:38 Real-World vs. Clinical Trial Data
07:19 Patient Preferences and Medication Adherence
09:31 Most Suitable Data for Secondary Purposes
10:32 Patient Generated Health Data
11:53 Discussions Among Health Ministries
13:09 Trustworthiness and Integration of Digital Tools
17:45 Patient Reported Outcomes in EHRs
19:35 European Health Data Space (EHDS)
29:55 Patient Control Over Data
33:47 Barriers to EHDS Success
37:13 Public Health Perspectives and Global Changes
40:14 Conclusion and Future Perspectives
42:20 Closing Remarks and Upcoming Events
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44:00
How is Europe preparing for secondary use of data in healthcare through EHDS?
Fidelia Cascini is Digital Healh expert engaged by the Italian Ministry of Health on European and national initiative. She recently wrote a book on secondary use of data in healthcare, read it here:
Secondary Use of Electronic Health Data
Public Health Perspectives, Use Cases and Challenges
https://link.springer.com/book/10.100...
This conversation covers the categorization of electronic health data, the importance of distinguishing different data types, and the potential applications and challenges in digital health. We also explore healthcare systems' digitalization, patient data privacy, the European Health Data Space (EHDS), and future public health perspectives. Learn about patient-generated data, clinical trials, and the significant role of digital health advancements in shaping the future of healthcare.
www.facesofdigitalhealth.com
Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbSCXUhIDZ8
Show notes:
01:08 Diving into Different Categories of Health Data
01:35 Discussion on Secondary Use of Data in Europe
02:16 Call for Listener Feedback
03:07 Starting the Interview with Felia Kini
03:36 Importance of Distinguishing Data Types
04:38 Challenges in Using Different Data Sources
06:38 Real-World vs. Clinical Trial Data
07:19 Patient Preferences and Medication Adherence
09:31 Most Suitable Data for Secondary Purposes
10:32 Patient Generated Health Data
11:53 Discussions Among Health Ministries
13:09 Trustworthiness and Integration of Digital Tools
17:45 Patient Reported Outcomes in EHRs
19:35 European Health Data Space (EHDS)
29:55 Patient Control Over Data
33:47 Barriers to EHDS Success
37:13 Public Health Perspectives and Global Changes
40:14 Conclusion and Future Perspectives
42:20 Closing Remarks and Upcoming Events
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44:00
Why are clinicians leaving medical practice?
In the evolving landscape of work life balance expectations workforce dynamics is reshaping the future of medicine. Dr Amanda Herbrand, clinical data specialist at the University Hospital Basel and former oncologist, shares her insights on this transformation, highlighting the critical role of technology and shifts in physician careers in healthcare. Dr. Herand shares her transition from oncology to healthcare IT and the challenges and solutions in integrating clinical expertise with IT systems. The host and Amanda explore changing workforce expectations, the role of technology in alleviating clinical burdens, and the importance of digital health literacy. The conversation also covers clinical data modeling, international collaborations, and the future vision of healthcare IT development.
00:00 Introduction to Faces of Digital Health
02:00 Interview with Dr. Amanda Herand
02:27 Transition from Oncology to Clinical Data Specialization
04:36 Challenges and Observations in Healthcare IT
11:35 The Role of Digital Health Literacy
14:39 Clinical Data Modeling at University Hospital Basel
27:41 Future of Healthcare Data and Precision Medicine
32:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
www.facesofdigitalhealth.com
Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/
Youtube:
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34:45
Why Patients Lie—and How AI is Helping Doctors See the Truth
🩺 57% of patients lie to their doctors, says Dr Jérome BOUAZIZ, CEO of One Clinic.
Not maliciously—but out of discomfort, stigma, or fear of judgment. Whether it's drug use, alcohol, sleep issues, or mental health, these omissions can have life-altering consequences.
On the other side, many doctors avoid asking sensitive questions. Not because they don’t care—but because of time constraints or uncertainty about how to handle the answers.
At One Clinic, a new approach flips this dynamic.
✅ Patients complete a 60–100 question digital pre-consultation.
✅ Responses feed into validated clinical scores (like STOP-BANG for sleep apnea).
✅ Doctors receive structured, AI-supported insights before the visit begins.
✅ Every consultation becomes a "Personal Opportunity for Prevention"—even if the visit was for something as routine as a UTI.
This model doesn’t replace doctors with tech. It supports them, enabling faster, smarter decisions that reflect the patient’s full picture.
💡 The secret? Technology as a non-judgmental intermediary.
Patients open up. Doctors stay focused. Prevention becomes practical.
Tune in to the full discussion recorded at the Digital Health Excellence Forum in Berlin on Youtube:
▶️ https://lnkd.in/dpchqkfP 📽️
www.facesofdigitalhealth.com
Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/
Faces of Digital Health is a podcast about digital health, exploring how different healthcare systems adopt technologies in healthcare. Its aim is to satisfy curiosity about different cultures, identify barriers to success in different countries and finding answers and advice for accelerating the success of digital health entrepreneurs.
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