D6.2 “Recommendations on further development and deployment for possible EU-wide uptake” presents recommendations for the further development and potential EU-wide adoption of HealthDCAT-AP, an extension of the DCAT Application Profile for datasets catalogues in Europe.
HealthDCAT-AP is tailored to describe health datasets and access services, ensuring consistent representation and discoverability across platforms. Its primary objective is to establish a standardised, interoperable metadata schema specific to the health domain. By aligning with the broader DCAT-AP standard, HealthDCAT-AP promotes interoperability, enabling seamless data exchange among researchers, public health institutions, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Key features
Health-specific extensions
Incorporates additional metadata elements and properties to address the unique requirements of health data management and sharing.
Interoperability and compliance
Ensures compatibility with EU regulations, including GDPR and the EHDS Regulation, while remaining fully aligned with the broader DCAT-AP framework used in EU Data Spaces.
The development of HealthDCAT-AP will continue within the framework of the Second Joint Action Towards the European Health Data Space (TEHDAS2). TEHDAS2 lays the groundwork for the harmonised implementation of secondary health data use within the European Health Data Space
Adoption strategy and progress
The strategy focuses on widespread adoption by health data holders, Health Data Access Bodies (HDABs), and data users. Task 6.3 of the HealthData@EU pilot project has demonstrated the feasibility of HealthDCAT-AP, enabling participants to produce and share compliant metadata with the EU health datasets catalogue.
Lessons learned and next steps
The pilot underscored key areas for improvement, including:
- Defining roles for data holders and HDABs in managing metadata.
- Incorporating user feedback to refine the schema.
Looking ahead:
- Refine health dataset catalogues based on pilot insights to better meet user needs.
- Foster collaboration between national and EU-level catalogues.
- Provide tools and clear guidelines to support adoption.
HealthDCAT-AP is critical for ensuring the findability, accessibility, and interoperability of health datasets across the EU. By addressing these areas, the project aims to build a robust, future-proof infrastructure for health data sharing within the EHDS.
Let’s see HealthDCAT-AP in action!
🔗 Access the Health DCAT-AP GitHub repository
🔗 Explore the Health DCAT-AP Validator to ensure metadata quality
Resources
