INDICATORS

Arpo Aromaa & Katri Kilpeläinen
8. RECOMMENDATIONS
1) Modern health policy requires a high quality health information system that
comprises valid data as well as mechanisms for processing and interpreting those
data.
2) In most EU Member States it is necessary to expand existing health information
systems so that they cover the necessary information. At the same time, steps are
needed to ensure their quality and comparability. In some countries there is need
for only minor modifications, but in others for quite substantial.
3) The process of creating a comprehensive health information system is going to take
a long time to complete, as has been made clear by the development of the ECHI
indicator system, which was initiated in 1998. The system also requires continued
maintenance to maintain the relevance and the stability of the structure over the
years to come.
4) The structure for implementing and maintaining the European health information
system must involve central EU expertise mainly from Eurostat and DG SANCO,
and international expertise from the WHO and the OECD. Most importantly, all
the participating countries must be represented by one or several national experts.
5) The main duties of the structure for implementing and maintaining the European
health information system are best summarised by the proposal for Joint Action for
ECHIM, which foresees the following main tasks for the next three years (2009–
2011): development of indicators, improving the Documentation Sheets, helping
countries to improve their data sources (EHIS and EHES) and indicators, and
implementing all ECHI shortlist indicators, if possible.
6) Indicator development comprises both the inclusion of new indicators and the
deletion of some older indicators. Some new indicators need to be added to the
present ECHI system in order to improve its coverage. Examples can be found in
the areas of health promotion, treatment needs, quality of care, environmental
health, as well as new protective and risk factors.
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