No. 53

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Estonian Health Data Could Save Lives If We Put It to Work

27 May 2026

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RiTo No. 53, 2026

  • Sulev Reisberg

    Sulev Reisberg

    Research Fellow in Health Informatics, University of Tartu; STACC; Founder of Estonian Health Informatics Association; Head of OHDSI Estonia

Estonia’s health data has strong potential to improve care and save lives, but this potential remains underused.

The problem is not a lack of data, but fragmented systems, limited access, and overly complex regulation. As a result, valuable data often fails to reach doctors and decision-makers in time or in a usable form. The article proposes three key solutions: simplifying the legal framework to enable faster and broader data use, creating common data standards to ensure interoperability, and launching a rapid pilot project to make treatment quality visible in real time. Overall, Estonia does not need more data – it needs to activate existing data. By reducing legal and technical barriers and focusing on real-time use, health data can become a practical tool for improving healthcare outcomes and saving lives.

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