Phases of the expedition
Learn more about the different phases of our expedition and how you can contribute to the current phase.
News
Here you will find the latest results from our expedition, as well as news on the digital transformation of the Swiss healthcare system.
FAQ
Our Frequently Asked Questions provide a quick overview of all topics related to the expedition.
News
Here you will find exciting information about the Gesundheitsdatenraum Schweiz association, current projects and collaborations, as well as current topics on digital transformation in the Swiss healthcare system.
Expedition – Wichtige Informationen
FAQ
The association aims to actively contribute to making a human-centered digitization of the healthcare system in Switzerland a reality. We want to define the substantive, technical, organizational, legal, and economic foundations on which the Health Data Space Switzerland can be built.
A health data account is a platform for health data, where all my health-related personal information is securely stored, clearly visualized, and organized. Ideally, I should be able to use my health data account to interact and connect with healthcare providers: the doctor should send my prescription to the health data account, and the pharmacy should be able to fill the prescription digitally. Additionally, my lab results, reports, vaccination records, etc. from the clinic or hospital should automatically flow into my health data account and find their place in the data tapestry.
In a health data space, each individual’s digital health data is available for both primary and secondary use.
The term “data fabric” describes how each person weaves their digital data fabric over time. For example, if I step on the scale every morning and digitally record the value, my health data fabric grows each day by the data point “weight.” If each individual’s data fabric is woven in a comparable way, these data collections can be analyzed and valuable insights can be gained.
Secondary use means, health data is used outside of its primary purpose. For example, the systematic reporting or collection of unexpected side effects from a medication or a vaccination for the early detection of serious harm potential is an example of secondary use. In the context of secondary use, the data is usually anonymized.
Primary use of health data means, the focus is on using the data for my medical or health treatment. This can start with mobile health data during sports, continue with treatment during a doctor’s visit, and eventually end with obtaining medication at the pharmacy. In the context of primary use, the data is usually not anonymized.
Medicine has always been, and still is today, a strongly data-driven, empirical science. Every form of treatment that is medically recognized today has proven its effectiveness in an empirical, clinical study. However, when health data is structured and standardized in a digital format, it becomes quickly analyzable in large quantities. This creates the true added value of digitization in healthcare. High-quality, structured, and standardized (comparable) health data is therefore of great value for gaining insights. It enables personalized treatment for individuals and is important for research and science.
When each individual has their health data available in their health data account, they can take action with that data. For example, they can anonymize and “publish” their data to see if there is any demand or offers for their data. If they suffer from hay fever, for instance, they can find allergy platforms that display pollen levels in their area. They could also see if a clinical trial is being conducted in their region to improve the treatment of people with hay fever. By participating in such a study, they can donate their data for research in a more focused way.
To develop specific requirements for a health data account, we will collaborate with the Salutonauts on our expedition to thoroughly test existing solutions.
We will assess their strengths and identify any missing functionalities or usability features, while also reviewing them from legal, data protection, and security perspectives.
Based on these insights, the association’s experts will define the necessary organizational and regulatory prerequisites. These will be shared with health data account providers to enhance their offerings.
Salutonauts are always members of the association and, in addition, participants in the expedition. As association members, they pay an annual membership fee of 90 CHF. As expedition participants, they pay an additional expedition membership fee of 350 CHF.
Salutonauts first sign the Salutonaut agreement. Afterward, they open at least one health data account, including at least one electronic patient record. The health data they collect during the expedition is stored in their health data account. This includes the results of a clinical examination (health check), billing data, vaccination records, medication lists, lab results, and mobile health data. Their experiences during these stages of the expedition are documented in a structured manner in an expedition logbook, where they can also provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Additionally, they may be surveyed and consulted on important developments during the expedition. The first milestone of the expedition, the base camp, is reached once they have completed all tasks and recorded their feedback in the logbook.
Mediconauts are practicing physicians who conduct the clinical examination (health check) for Salutonauts as part of the expedition, either in a medical practice or an outpatient hospital clinic. They have been specially trained for this task and have access to appropriate digital tools.
The Mediconauts are available to Salutonauts for any questions regarding the examination. If the examination reveals that further investigations are advisable, the Salutonaut will be informed. These additional investigations should be carried out by the Salutonaut’s general practitioner or their existing medical treatment team.