Proposal for the creation of a European healthcare identifier

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Public Health
• Genetics

Background:

• The European health card (EHIC) facilitates cross-border healthcare but lacks robust patient data linkage for individuals with prior non-French insurance.
• Current patient identifiers based on healthcare insurance numbers hinder continuity of care for mobile European citizens.
• The need for a unified system to link patient health records across different national insurance affiliations is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel personal identifier concept based on familial components for improved healthcare data linkage.
• To validate this identifier within a genetic study framework, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of linking mother/newborn healthcare data using familial components.

Main Methods:

• Development of a personal identifier incorporating familial components, validated by the French data protection authority.
• Application of the identifier within the Burgundy perinatal network for mother/newborn data linkage.
• Anonymization of healthcare data in accordance with European data protection directives.

Main Results:

• The Burgundy perinatal network study confirmed the feasibility and utility of adding a maternal component to the newborn's identifier.
• Successful linkage of mother/newborn healthcare data was achieved post-anonymization.
• The proposed identifier enables data linkage for patients residing outside their primary healthcare insurance country.

Conclusions:

• A familial component-based patient identifier offers a viable solution for cross-border healthcare data linkage in Europe.
• This approach enhances patient data continuity and supports the development of European public health statistics.
• Implementation of this identifier aligns with European data protection standards and promotes better healthcare integration.