Expat Healthcare: Managing Records Across Countries

Living as an expat in Europe offers incredible opportunities, but it also presents unique challenges for your health. When you move between countries—perhaps from France to Germany, or from Italy to Sweden—you are often moving between entirely different healthcare systems that do not share data.

For many expats, their medical history becomes a scattered trail of digital portals and paper folders in multiple languages. This fragmentation is a major risk to your continuity of care. Learning how to manage expat healthcare records effectively is the only way to ensure that your new doctor has the context needed to treat you safely.

In this guide, we provide a practical framework for building a portable, unified health history that moves with you, no matter where your career or life takes you.

The Expat Record Challenge: Data Silos

The primary issue for expats is the "data silo." While the EU is highly integrated for travel and work, medical data remains strictly national.

• Language Barriers: A specialist letter in Italian might be difficult for a Dutch GP to interpret.
• Unit Differences: Glucose measured in mmol/L in the UK looks very different from the mg/dL used in Germany.
• Missing History: Without your past records, a new doctor cannot see your established baselines or trends.

By taking ownership of your health history, you become the "data bridge" that ensures your care remains consistent across borders.

Step 1: Collect Your Past Records

Before you leave a country, you must perform a "data exit." It is significantly harder to request records from a clinic once you have moved abroad.

Request a complete copy of your history from your current provider. This should include your last five years of lab results, any surgical summaries, and your immunization record. Ask for digital copies (PDFs) whenever possible, as they are easier to store and translate. If you have been managing records across multiple hospitals, ensure you have the summaries from each one.

Step 2: Standardize and Summarize

To make your history useful to a new doctor, you should create a single-page medical history summary.

This "Expat Health Resume" should be in a widely understood language (like English) and should use generic medication names rather than brand names. For example, instead of listing a local brand name for a blood pressure pill, list the active ingredient. This ensures that a pharmacist in any country can provide the local equivalent.

We also recommend noting your blood type and any severe allergies on this summary sheet for emergency use.

Step 3: Move to a Digital-First System

The most effective way to manage expat healthcare records is through a secure, cloud-based platform. Relying on physical folders is risky when you are moving between apartments and cities.

Using an app like Healthbase allows you to upload records from any country. Modern AI can "read" documents in multiple languages and standardize the data into a single timeline. This means your German blood test from 2023 and your Spanish test from 2025 can finally be graphed together, helping you and your doctor see the real trends in your health.

Language and Translation Tips

You don't always need a professional translator for your medical records. Most medical terminology is based on Latin roots, which means surgical and lab reports are often interpretable for doctors across the EU.

However, for dense specialist letters, you can use AI-powered health tools to provide a high-level summary in your primary language. If a document is critical for an upcoming surgery or complex diagnosis, then a formal medical translation may be worth the investment. For more on this, see health records multiple languages.

Navigating Different EU Systems

Every country has its own "health culture." In some, like France, you are expected to carry your own imaging films; in others, like the UK, everything is digital within the NHS but hard to export.

As an expat, you must be your own advocate. Proactively ask: "How can I get a digital copy of these results for my personal records?" In the EU, you have a legal right under GDPR to access your personal data. Don't be afraid to exercise that right to ensure your preventive health tracking remains continuous.

Preparing for Your First Appointment Abroad

Your first visit to a new doctor in a new country is a "history-taking" session. To make it a success:

• Bring your summary: Hand over your one-page health resume as you sit down.
• Show your trends: Have your digital timeline ready on your phone to show your baseline labs.
• Discuss medications: Confirm that your current prescriptions are available in the local market.
• Establish expectations: Ask how you will receive future test results and if there is a patient portal.

This level of preparation builds immediate trust with your new provider and ensures you get the best possible start in your new home.

FAQ

Is there a "European Health Record" that moves with me?

While there are ongoing efforts toward a "European Health Data Space," a unified record doesn't yet exist. You are currently responsible for carrying your own data between national systems.

What if my old records are in a language I don't speak?

Don't panic. Many doctors are used to seeing records from other countries. Focus on the numerical data (labs) and the surgical summaries, as these are the most "universal" parts of a medical record.

Do I need to re-do all my vaccinations when I move?

Usually no, provided you have your official immunization record. Your new doctor can review your history and only suggest "boosters" that are required by the local health guidelines or your specific risk profile.

How can I find a good expat-friendly doctor?

Look for international clinics or ask in local expat communities. Many major cities have doctors who specialize in treating international patients and are comfortable working with records from multiple countries.