Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of 2026-10-02
Who holds the health record in the Netherlands?
In 2026, the Netherlands scores 60 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 23= of 198 countries (likely range 11 to 40), in the Mixed band (45 to 64). Who holds the keys: Shared. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of 2026-10-02.
The person has real controls inside a state or provider system. Its strongest right against the other countries is patient control and consent (72, against a median of 30 across 198 countries); no right falls below the median, and the closest to it is privacy and security (52, median 45).
Dutch records move between providers only with the patient's explicit opt-in, but few people use their copy apps and an EHDS opt-out is planned.
Published · updated · this country's data as of 2026-10-02 · research tool, not legal advice
60overall, of 100 · Mixed
23=rank of 198
Sharedwho holds the keys
highconfidence
91 · Platinumevidence grade (DTI)
Can I get my health records in the Netherlands?
Access to the full record scores 55 of 100 in the Netherlands, against a median of 43 across 198 countries. Dutch law gives a copy of the whole file and free electronic access, and about 93% of GPs connect to certified apps. Only 571,000 people fetched records that way in 2024, and the EU scores Dutch record access 69.35 against an 86.51 average.
Can I control who sees my health record in the Netherlands?
Control and consent scores 72 of 100 in the Netherlands, against a median of 30 across 198 countries. Under the Wabvpz a provider may share data through an exchange system only with the patient's explicit consent, and patients can see on Volgjezorg who viewed their data via the national switch point. Consent is split across several systems, and the government plans an EHDS opt-out.
Eight rights, against Croatia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and the EU
Patient access to the full record20%
55
62 · 67 · 62
Patient control and consent20%
72
66 · 62 · 62
Privacy and security15%
52
52 · 50 · 55
Connected care journey15%
60
68 · 68 · 70
Protection from commercial use10%
62
56 · 54 · 50
Clinician access at the point of care10%
58
64 · 64 · 62
Research and trial consent5%
57
45 · 48 · 44
Clinical AI governance5%
50
50 · 50 · 50
Black dot: Netherlands. Hollow dots: Croatia, Lithuania, Bulgaria (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 198 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Netherlands 60, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would the Netherlands need to change to score higher?
The Netherlands 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 (57, median 46) and clinical AI governance (50, median 30). 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.
Clinical AI governance: Device regulation of clinical AI with change control and human oversight in force, plus national rules where EU law leaves gaps.
Which laws give health record rights in the Netherlands?
Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7, afdeling 5 (WGBO) (1994): Right to access and copy the file, 20-year retention, secrecy, research without consent unless the patient objects.
Wet aanvullende bepalingen verwerking persoonsgegevens in de zorg (Wabvpz) (2008): Explicit consent for electronic exchange, free electronic copies, access log on request, insurers barred.
Wet elektronische gegevensuitwisseling in de zorg (Wegiz) (2023): Framework law making named data flows electronic and standardised, with certified software.
Strain and split context, not scored
Doctors per 10,000
38.7 2023 · OECD 18 of 38
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
112 2023 · OECD 15 of 38
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
16.1% 2023 · OECD 28 of 35
Record reaches private care?
unknown
Compulsory private insurance, counted separately: 50.5% of health spending (2023).
Published stories
2026-04-14 · Regionaal Tuchtcollege voor de Gezondheidszorg Amsterdam Nurse reprimanded for repeatedly opening patient files with no care reason
2025-02-03 · Centraal Tuchtcollege voor de Gezondheidszorg Appeal tribunal upholds complaint that a surgeon refused to hand over a medical file
In 2026, the Netherlands scored 60 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record, rank 23= of 198 countries (likely range 11 to 40) (Mixed; who holds the keys: Shared). Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of 2026-10-02, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/NLD/
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Questions, corrections or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: healthrecordrights.com
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (38 mostly high-income countries). DTI: SuperTruth's Data Trust Index, grading the evidence behind each score. Everything here comes from public information: laws, government and regulator pages, court decisions, published news, WHO, OECD and World Bank data. Full sources: https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/NLD/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Text and scores CC BY 4.0.
