The X-Road infrastructure, implemented as a national data exchange layer in Estonia in 2001 and Finland in 2015, is facilitating the transfer of data between various information systems used across public services.

The Nordic Institute for Interoperability Solutions has been, since 2018, in charge of developing the X-Road core software for the two European countries, providing multiple solutions out-of-the-box for data exchange.

“X-Road is special because it’s an out-of-the-box solution for a national data exchange layer. It’s one of the few technologies that are ready to be implemented on a national level,” said Ville Sirviö, chief executive of the organisation.

This is one of several examples showcased in the newest issue of the HIMSS, parent company of Healthcare IT News, HIMSS Insights eBook, which puts an emphasis on connected care and interoperability ahead of the HIMSS & Health 2.0 European conference taking place in Helsinki this June.

The eHealth system is the second most popular service used on X-Road, with around two million queries per month.

“Estonia and Finland successfully began the exchange of digital prescriptions this year via the eHDSI [eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure] system, but we could exchange a broader and richer data set using our joint X-Road infrastructure,” deputy secretary general of E-services and Innovation at the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs, Kalle Killar, is quoted as saying in Insights. 

The article can be read in full here.

Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.