The push for a digitally connected Europe, a cornerstone of the European Commission’s ‘Digital Decade’ policy, isn’t simply about faster internet speeds or broader 5G coverage. It’s fundamentally about healthcare access, and the latest data reveals a continent sharply divided in its ability to deliver on that promise. While headlines proclaim an 11-point jump in electronic health record (EHR) access across the EU – reaching 83 percent in 2024 – this figure masks a critical reality: progress isn’t uniform, and a significant portion of the population remains underserved, particularly when it comes to actually using the tools available. The focus shouldn’t be solely on reaching the 100 percent target by 2030, but on ensuring equitable access and the skills to navigate a rapidly digitalizing healthcare landscape.
The European Commission’s ‘Digital Decade 2025: eHealth Indicator Study-Final Report’ calculates this composite eHealth score, with 100 percent representing full maturity and complete citizen access to electronic health record data. The increase from 72 percent in 2022 to 83 percent in 2024 is undeniably positive, demonstrating the impact of pandemic-era investments in telehealth and digital infrastructure. However, framing this as a straightforward success story overlooks the substantial disparities between nations. The score isn’t a simple average; it’s a weighted measure reflecting the breadth of data available, the percentage of the population covered, and the accessibility of records. A four-point increase from 79 percent in 2023, while welcome, suggests a slowing rate of improvement, raising questions about the sustainability of current strategies.
The geographical picture is stark. Belgium and Estonia lead the pack, achieving a perfect 100 percent score, indicating robust systems where EHRs are widely available and readily accessible. Denmark (98%), Lithuania (95%), Malta (94%), Poland (92%), and Norway (91%) follow closely behind, demonstrating a clear cluster of high-performing nations. But at the other end of the spectrum lies Ireland, with a score of just 25 percent – a dramatic outlier. The Netherlands fares little better at 65 percent, highlighting a significant gap even within Western Europe. This isn’t merely a matter of technological infrastructure; it’s a reflection of differing national priorities, investment levels, and approaches to data privacy and interoperability. Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced government approval on February 5, 2026, to begin procurement for a National Electronic Health Record, a move intended to modernize the country’s health system, but the scale of the challenge is considerable.
The availability of records is only half the battle. A recent report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ‘Health at a Glance 2025’, reveals a concerning lack of digital health literacy, particularly among older adults and those with lower levels of education. Across 17 OECD countries, only 18 percent of primary care users aged 45 and over with lower education levels demonstrated confidence in finding reliable health information online and understanding how to use it, compared to 26 percent of those with higher education. While Czechia boasts a relatively high literacy rate of 53 percent among the highly educated, Italy and Romania both register a dismal 9 percent across all education levels. This disparity isn’t simply about access to technology; it’s about trust, skills, and the ability to critically evaluate online health information. As David Novillo Ortiz, head of data, AI and digital health at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, emphasized to Euronews Health, “Countries with well-developed electronic health records and platforms that allow smooth data exchange can expand teleconsultation services much more easily.” But even the most sophisticated systems are useless if citizens lack the skills to utilize them effectively.
Drawn from euronews.com.
Several limitations need consideration when interpreting these findings. The composite eHealth score, while comprehensive, is still a simplification of a complex reality. It doesn’t capture nuances in data security, patient control over their records, or the quality of interoperability between different healthcare providers. Furthermore, the OECD’s digital health literacy data is limited to a specific age group and a subset of OECD countries, making broad generalizations difficult. The data also doesn’t account for the varying levels of digital infrastructure and internet access within countries, which can disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
Looking ahead, the focus must shift from simply expanding access to EHRs to fostering digital health literacy and building trust in digital health technologies. The next phase of research should investigate the specific barriers to digital health adoption among different demographic groups, and evaluate the effectiveness of targeted interventions designed to improve digital skills and address concerns about data privacy. Crucially, policymakers need to monitor not just the availability of digital health services, but also their equitable utilization – are the benefits of digital health reaching those who need them most, or are they exacerbating existing health inequalities? The question isn’t just whether Europe will reach its 2030 eHealth target, but whether it will do so in a way that leaves no one behind.
