With advancements in technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics, it is becoming increasingly evident that sharing secondary health data (originally collected for clinical or administrative purposes) holds significant potential to advance healthcare. These technologies uncover valuable patterns and insights within large datasets, which can support advancements in precision medicine, improve public health monitoring, and make healthcare delivery more efficient.
This issue paper aims to provide conceptual and technical clarity on secondary health data use to support relevant policy efforts in Switzerland. The paper will provide an overview of the different types of health data and how they are typically shared and used for secondary purposes. Use cases of health data flows from neighboring countries will be explored, along with a review of technological advancements in health data sharing, with consideration of the political discourse and regulations in Switzerland and the EU. The paper will then illustrate approaches for enabling decentralized health data sharing for secondary use, aligned with Switzerland’s political structure and cantonal autonomy.
The paper will conclude with governance and policy recommendations for Switzerland’s administrative and cantonal bodies, while complementing the ongoing Digisanté developments. In doing so, this paper seeks to inform Swiss efforts to optimize available resources, align with EU developments, and drive innovation in healthcare within its decentralized system.