rec_56

(56) Technological developments in cross-border provision of healthcare through the use of ICTs may result in the exercise of supervisory responsibilities by Member States being unclear, and can thus hinder the free movement of healthcare and give rise to possible additional risks to health protection. Widely different and incompatible formats and standards are used for provision of healthcare using ICTs throughout the Union, creating both obstacles to this mode of cross-border healthcare provision and possible risks to health protection. It is therefore necessary for Member States to aim at interoperability of ICT systems. The deployment of health ICT systems, however, is entirely a national competence. This Directive therefore should recognise the importance of the work on interoperability and respect the division of competences by providing for the Commission and Member States to work together on developing measures which are not legally binding but provide additional tools that are available to Member States to facilitate greater interoperability of ICT systems in the healthcare field and to support patient access to eHealth applications, whenever Member States decide to introduce them.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-11 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.