Data catalog
Health Data Agency
Transforming the Belgian health(care) data ecosystem
Data catalog
In the current Belgian data landscape, accessing health data presents significant challenges for data requesters. Two primary obstacles they face include:
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Difficulty in Finding Data
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Difficulty in Combining Data
The Health Data Agency (HDA) aims to overcome these challenges by introducing a comprehensive data catalog. This catalog offers an overview of various datasets available from partner institutions. It facilitates the general public in locating specific datasets and empowers the Health Data Agency to assess and coordinate requests for data access requests. The HDA endeavors to make data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR).
F - Findable
Data from diverse institutions is discoverable via the unified data catalog simplifying the search process. The facilitation of data findability involves the implementation of strategic methodologies and systems aimed at enabling efficient discovery of data by authorized users. By ensuring the findability of data, organizations streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and optimize the value of their data assets by ensuring their ready availability to those with authorized access.
A - Accessible
Once the correct data is located in the data catalog, the HDA ensures data accessibility to authorized users.
I - Interoperable
The HDA actively promotes data sharing and collaboration among different institutions. By standardizing metadata and data formats, it facilitates communication and exchange, creating a more unified environment for data sharing.
R - Reusable
The HDA structures and formats data in a way that encourages its multifaceted reuse, thereby maximizing its value while reducing redundancy.
This overview of datasets at our partner institutions documents their contribution to the Belgian health(care) data ecosystem. The document to the right provides context on their role, the data flows which exist around these datasets and what the legal framework is on secondary use of this data.
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What is the data catalog?
The HDA data catalog is a centralized repository that stores metadata and information about data assets in Belgium relevant to health(care), serving as a comprehensive inventory to facilitate collaboration. It enables users to discover, understand, and potentially access relevant datasets.
Metadata is organized into eight key data domains:
To learn more about the data catalog, visit the Academy.
Explore the data catalog
Data catalog
Discover, understand, and request access to relevant datasets.