The European Healthcard: The Time to Legislate Is Now

Abstract

The European Union for years has considered introducing a healthcard that citizens of all Member States could carry to help facilitate the provision of health care throughout the EU. Such a card would ensure that care providers in all Member States could access the medical information of those patients who do not reside in the country where care is being provided. In the wake of the EU's failure to introduce such a card, many Member States have developed their own incompatible healthcard technologies. The EU must implement a universal healthcard in the near future in order to prevent the further development of technologically advanced but functionally incompatible healthcard systems.