Who holds the health record in Belgium?

Can I get my health records in Belgium?

Access to the full record scores 68 of 100 in Belgium, against a median of 43 across 198 countries. The law gives a free first copy, paper or electronic, within 15 days, and the EU rates Belgian record access 100 out of 100. The federal portal shows linked documents, not one full record, and French speakers cannot see vaccines or test results in the app.

Can I control who sees my health record in Belgium?

Control and consent scores 72 of 100 in Belgium, against a median of 30 across 198 countries. The national index lists where a patient's data sits unless the patient objects, but another provider may open it only with revocable consent. Patients can exclude named providers and see who consulted their data; exclusion works only name by name.

What would Belgium need to change to score higher?

Belgium sits in Mixed (45 to 64); Strong starts at 65. The two rights furthest below the 198-country median, weighted, are research and trial consent (49, median 46) and protection from commercial use (54, median 45). The published rubric reads:

• Research and trial consent: A general opt-out that is honoured, or dynamic or opt-in consent, with a public register of research uses: 55 to 85.
• Protection from commercial use: Clear limits on selling health data or using it for marketing, covering apps and data brokers as well as providers.

Which laws give health record rights in Belgium?

• Loi du 22 août 2002 relative aux droits du patient (2002): Right to a kept file, consultation within 15 days, free first copy on paper or electronically.
• Loi du 22 avril 2019 relative à la qualité de la pratique des soins de santé (2019): Access to others' records needs consent and a therapeutic link; emergency access; patients can see who accessed.
• Loi du 30 juillet 2018 relative à la protection des données (2018): Implements the GDPR; extra duties for health data: named access categories and confidentiality.

Strain and split context, not scored

Doctors per 10,000

33.9 2023 · OECD 26 of 38

Nurses and midwives per 10,000

123 2022 · OECD 12 of 38

Private insurance + out-of-pocket

26.3% 2023 · OECD 13 of 35

Record reaches private care?

unknown

Published stories

• 2025-12-18 · Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (Belgian Data Protection Authority), Litigation Chamber decision 209/2025 Access list showed a therapist opened a patient's test results without a care reason
• 2024-12-17 · Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (Belgian Data Protection Authority), Litigation Chamber decision 166/2024 Ransomware hit a hospital whose patient record system had weak password protection