All the rules are set out in the HDS certification – Accreditation reference system and the COFRAC’s "Exigences spécifiques pour l’accréditation des organismes procédant à la certification de systèmes de management dans le domaine des technologies de l’information" (Specific requirements for structures that certify management systems in the information technology sector), available in our Documentation section.

To find out more about the list of certified and accredited bodies, click on the links below.

There are 6 types of activities that make you eligible as a health data host:

1. providing and monitoring the operations of a physical site that hosts the material infrastructure of the IS used to treat health data;
2. providing and maintaining the structural material used by the IS to host health data;
3. providing and maintaining a platform that hosts the IS applications;
4. providing and maintaining a digital structure for the IS which hosts health data;
5. the administration and exploitation of the IS which contains the health data;
6. health data backup services.

The full list of HDS-certified activities is available here: 

The ANS conducted a study on telehealth in France, based on 14 practices covering 11 specialties. These are: 

• nephrology, geriatrics, cardiology, orthopedics/traumatology, anethesia, psychiatry, gerontopsychiatry (teleconsultation practices);
• neuropediatrics, dermatology, maxillofacial surgery (tele-expertise practices);
• ophthalmology, medical and surgical neurology, tele-radiology, chronic wounds treatment (multi-act practices).

These practices are presented as fact sheets in the document below “Restitution des cas d’usage en télémédecine”

The study conducted by the ANS helped establish that the equipment used in telehealth practices can be : 

• A space dedicated to telehealth
• A teleconsultation booth
• A console with screen
• A teleconsultation cart
• A visioconference cart
• A PACS console
• A computer with webcam
• A digital tablet
• A smartphone
• Carte Vitale reader
• Digital dermatoscope
• Digital otoscope
• Digital ophthalmoscope
• Digital fundus camera
• Connected echograph scanner
• Connected thermometer, stetoscope, scale and tensionmeter

Further information is available in the Documentation.

The evaluation is done in two phases. It is conducted by the certifying body, which must verify the compliance with the certification requirements set out in the HDS Certification document (available below).

The audit also verifies the specific requirements for health data hosting are being met.