Population Health Information Research Infrastructure

Project Information

PHIRI

Grant agreement ID: 101018317

DOI

10.3030/101018317

Project closed

EC signature date 8 December 2020

Start date 1 November 2020

End date 31 October 2023

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Research Infrastructures

Total cost

€ 4 999 577,50

EU contribution

€ 4 980 327,50

Coordinated by

SCIENSANO
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PHIRI (Population Health Information Research Infrastructure)

Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2023-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Health is a cross-border issue, recently demonstrated by the COVID-19 public health crisis. A structured European mechanism for exchange to organize and share information for critical population health issues is urgently needed, especially in population health. PHIRI is a research infrastructure aiming to facilitate and support open, interconnected and data-driven research through the sharing of cross-country population health information and exchange of best practices related to the identification of data sources, access, risk setting and outcomes following ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Societal Implications) and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) principles. PHIRI has the following objectives:
1. Provide a Health Information Portal with FAIR catalogues on health and healthcare data for structured information exchange across European countries. PHIRI provides the services and tools necessary for researchers to link different data sources and to use pan-European data in a GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliant, federated way.
2. Provide structured exchange between countries on population health best practices and expertise. PHIRI shares public health and clinical management information and methodologies identified and allows researchers and policy-makers to provide relevant and evidence-based information ready for use in research and decision-making processes.
3. Promote interoperability and tackle health information inequalities by providing capacity building and training.

Over the project's duration, PHIRI achieved significant milestones, including the development of a Health Information Portal to enhance accessibility to population health data and expertise throughout Europe, established and sustained a Rapid Exchange Forum to promptly address urgent public health inquiries, conducted comprehensive COVID-19 health information systems assessments, performed multiple literature reviews screening over 10000 abstracts, created a federated research infrastructure to tackle diverse use cases utilizing data from various European countries and sources, supported countries to perform foresight studies, and fostered capacity building on these topics for researchers across Europe.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

PHIRI launched its Health Information Portal in May 2021: a one-stop-shop facilitating access to population health and heath care data, information and expertise across Europe. For the first time, catalogues of population health data sources from national and international organizations (350+), health information projects within countries and across Europe (170+), training materials (190+) and research networks (15) are findable through one single Portal. PHIRI maintains a strong network of National Nodes (27 and growing): organisational entities that function as a national liaison and bring together relevant national stakeholders in the country in a systematic way.
PHIRI adopted a federated architecture, that is piloted by 4 research use cases of immediate relevance on COVID-19 impacts (on vulnerable populations, on perinatal health, on mental health and delayed cancer care). In 20+ datahubs, data was mobilized and analysed in a distributed manner. The same methodology has now been successfully adopted in other projects such as BY-COVID.
PHIRI developed a consolidated framework to assess the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on population wellbeing, morbidity and mortality. Over 10.000 abstracts were scanned and indicators extracted.
PHIRI’s Rapid Exchange Forum offers a structured and highly needed platform for regular quick exchange between countries, policy advisors, commission services and researchers in the joint efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Until the end of the project, almost 60 bi-weekly meetings have been organized and 180+ urgent research and policy questions answered. Such meetings are now continuing on a monthly basis after the ending of the project.
PHIRI supported European countries in developing scenarios to gain insights in possible future health impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak for national situations. After an advanced course, 8 countries performed their own foresight study, supported by PHIRI experts.
PHIRI reached out to the diverse stakeholders in the health data field, by organizing several inclusive and targeted stakeholder meetings, discussions and dialogues.
PHIRI mapped the health information systems in 7 European countries that monitor the effects of COVID-19 on population health through virtual country visits.
PHIRI organized trainings and workshops to strengthen the public health workforce in Europe and overcome health information inequalities and shared best practices regarding infodemic management.
PHIRI established an External Scientific Advisory Board: a cross-domain group of independent scientific experts that provides advice on several issues (quality of deliverables, ethical issues, direction of the project, corrective measures etc.).
PHIRI is part of the PREparedness and resPonse for emergency situAtions in euRopE (PREPARE) cluster together with 12 other H2020 funded projects. Each of the projects (combined funding of €72m) is tackling challenges specifically looking at the preparedness and response phases of crisis management.
PHIRI is actively involved in the discussions on the European Health Data Space (EHDS) to promote better exchange and access to different types of health data for health research and health policy making purposes (secondary use of data).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The Coordination Team (WP1) continued to ensure the smooth running of the project covering administrative and financial aspects of the project.
The Communication Team (WP2) strengthened dissemination and engagement with key stakeholders to amplify the reach and impact of the PHIRI-outputs.
The Outreach and Sustainability Team (WP3) performed additional COVID-19 Health Information System Assessments. PHIRI is actively investigating routes for sustainability to ensure the work performed within the project will be integrated in a more permanent population health research infrastructure.
The Health Information Portal Team (WP4) continued the enrichment and standardization of the information provided on the Portal to further facilitate the use and access of population health information for researchers and policy makers across Europe.
The Team working on research methodologies to assess the impact of COVID-19 (WP5) completed the screening of the identified papers for systematic reviews contributing to the understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on population wellbeing and health.
The research use cases and the PHIRI research infrastructure Teams (WP6-7) published the use case results with additional data from the PHIRI partners contributing to the building of a federated research infrastructure for rapid policy response.
The Rapid Exchange Forum Team (WP8) continued to host meetings to help tackling emerging public health research and policy questions in a fast and effective manner.
The Foresight: Modelling and Scenarios Team (WP9) hosted policy workshops with key experts in the field and policy makers and supported researchers across Europe in performing foresight studies in their own countries.
Finally, PHIRI prepared 11 scientific publications that will be part of a special issue of the European Journal of Public Health to be published early 2024.

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