Telemedicine and Application Scenarios: Common Privacy and Security Requirements in the European Union Context

This article is aimed at describing the most relevant issues around computerised processing of health data with specific reference to telemedicine modules within the European Union. The regulatory framework in this area is complex and varied, and often disorienting. Therefore, the application and reconstructive approach of this work tries to fill a gap in the literature by providing a first systematisation of the topic. The main issues of the digitisation of health data are taken into account, with particular attention to telemedicine and so-called patient empowerment. There is a specific focus on the analysis of the application scenarios and legal requirements, in terms of privacy and security, of a telemedicine service. The European legal framework, and specifically the legal frameworks of certain selected countries (Germany, France, Austria and Italy), is presented. Ultimately, the minimum requirements to be implemented in a telemedicine scenario, along with possible technical solutions compliant with these requirements, are discussed and presented