Implementing a Nordic-Baltic Federated Health Data Network: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Data Science
• Implementation Science

Background:

• Cross-border healthcare data sharing faces privacy, heterogeneity, and legal hurdles.
• Establishing international networks for secondary health data use requires innovative solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report early insights from developing a federated health data network across five countries.
• To assess factors influencing the implementation of a Nordic-Baltic health data network.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining experimental design and implementation science.
• Formation of an interdisciplinary consortium with six institutions across five countries.
• Technical experiments to evaluate network performance against centralized simulations.

Main Results:

• The federated network demonstrated functional performance comparable to centralized simulations.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration is beneficial but faces challenges.
• Significant operational costs and an uncertain regulatory landscape were identified as key barriers.

Conclusions:

• Federated health data networks are technically viable for international cooperation.
• Addressing regulatory gaps and operational costs is crucial for successful implementation.
• Future efforts must navigate evolving legal frameworks and ensure sustainable funding.