Petronille Bogaert1, Hans van Oers2, Herman Van Oyen3. 1. Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Belgium; Tilburg University, the Netherlands. Electronic address: petronille.bogaert@sciensano.be. 2. Tilburg University, the Netherlands; National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands. 3. Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Belgium; Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Health information in the EU is characterised by diversity and fragmentation of health information infrastructures. A well-defined and sustainable EU health information system infrastructure is lacking. The potential of a European Research Infrastructure Consortium on Health Information for Research and Evidence-based Policy (HIREP-ERIC) to take up this role is investigated. METHODS: Two working groups, a BRIDGE Health Steering Committee and the European Commission's Drafting Group of the Expert Group on Health Information, discussed the technical and scientific description of the HIREP-ERIC through a consensus-driven modified Delphi technique. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on three aspects of the HIREP-ERIC. First, it was defined as an infrastructure that facilitates interaction of networks and experts in health information by providing central governance and a more permanent collaboration. Second, the infrastructure should be distributed, with a central hub coordinating the operation of distributed networks. Third, it should provide easy access to high quality and comparable data for purposes of research and policy making, and focus its activities around generating, managing, exchanging and translating health information. CONCLUSION: A momentum has been created where representatives from 16 European countries agreed on the HIREP-ERIC as a pragmatic bottom-up approach to strengthen the current EU health information landscape. A Member States' commitment is needed at senior political level to make this consensus operational.
BACKGROUND: Health information in the EU is characterised by diversity and fragmentation of health information infrastructures. A well-defined and sustainable EU health information system infrastructure is lacking. The potential of a European Research Infrastructure Consortium on Health Information for Research and Evidence-based Policy (HIREP-ERIC) to take up this role is investigated. METHODS: Two working groups, a BRIDGE Health Steering Committee and the European Commission's Drafting Group of the Expert Group on Health Information, discussed the technical and scientific description of the HIREP-ERIC through a consensus-driven modified Delphi technique. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on three aspects of the HIREP-ERIC. First, it was defined as an infrastructure that facilitates interaction of networks and experts in health information by providing central governance and a more permanent collaboration. Second, the infrastructure should be distributed, with a central hub coordinating the operation of distributed networks. Third, it should provide easy access to high quality and comparable data for purposes of research and policy making, and focus its activities around generating, managing, exchanging and translating health information. CONCLUSION: A momentum has been created where representatives from 16 European countries agreed on the HIREP-ERIC as a pragmatic bottom-up approach to strengthen the current EU health information landscape. A Member States' commitment is needed at senior political level to make this consensus operational.
Authors: Rodrigo Sarmiento-Suárez; Alicia Padron-Monedero; Petronille Bogaert; Linda Abboud; Herman Van Oyen; Hanna Tolonen; Mariken Tijhuis; Stefanie Seeling; Romana Haneef; Metka Zaletel; Luigi Palmieri; Anne Gallay; Luís Velez Lapão; Paulo Nogueira; Thomas Ziese; Jakov Vukovic; André Beja; Miriam Saso; Isabel Noguer-Zambrano Journal: Arch Public Health Date: 2022-05-17
Authors: Alicia Padron-Monedero; Rodrigo Sarmiento Suárez; Petronille Bogaert; Linda Abboud; Herman Van Oyen; Hanna Tolonen; Mariken J Tijhuis; Luigi Palmieri; Romana Haneef; Anne Gallay; Luis Lapao; Paulo Jorge Nogueira; Thomas Ziese; Stefanie Seeling; Jakov Vukovic; Isabel Noguer-Zambrano Journal: Arch Public Health Date: 2022-01-17