Catalonia outlines its approach to people centred health data in Helsinki

Joan Guanyabens, director of the TIC Salut i Social Foundation, showcased Catalonia’s experience in health data management at the Radical Health Festival, held last January in Helsinki, Finland. Speaking at a plenary session about upgrading data infrastructures to realise the full Potential of the European Health Data Space (EHDS), alongside international experts, Guanyabens argued for the need for strong, well regulated and people centred digital infrastructures to improve health outcomes and promote equity across the system.

He opened his address with a clear message: digital health can only be considered real progress when it is built on trustworthy data, shared knowledge and public oversight. In a context shaped by fake news and the growing concentration of power among large technology companies that control citizens’ data, he stressed the importance of digital sovereignty and European regulation to ensure that data and technological innovation serve the common good and strengthen democratic values.

Guanyabens, who is also President of the European Health Telematics Association (EHTEL), went on to highlight Catalonia’s commitment to treating health information systems as a critical national infrastructure. This approach is grounded in open standards, sovereign citizen of personal data and clear governance models, with the aim of improving population health, ensuring the sustainability of the health system and enhancing the experience of both citizens and healthcare professionals.

He illustrated this vision with several flagship initiatives developed in Catalonia, including the Yellow Button, which enables patients to download a patient summary anywhere in Europe; La Meva Salut, the digital platform that provides access to shared electronic health records; and the Health AI Programme, designed to foster the development and deployment of artificial intelligence within the Catalan Health System.

In closing, he underlined that alignment with the European Health Data Space requires a gradual and coordinated transition towards new models of data governance and data sharing, built on trust and firmly focused on placing people at the centre of digital health systems.

The Foundation at Radical Health

The TIC Salut i Social Foundation took part in the congress as one of its contribution partners, with a strong institutional presence. Carme Pratdepàdua, Head of Digital Assets for Citizens, and Carla Álvarez, Head of Public Programmes, contributed to the session “The Yellow Button: Innovating for Everyday Life with Patient Access”, where they presented Catalonia’s role in the European xShare project.

The Foundation’s delegation also included Anna Benavent, Director of Digital Health Strategy at Hospital Parc Taulí, who spoke at the session “EHR Algorithm Communication”.