PHIRI - WP8 - Needs assessment summary

The Rapid Exchange Forum (REF) emerged as a crucial initiative during the Covid-19 pandemic, facilitating swift and structured cross-country information exchange among experts and institutions supporting national governments in crisis response. This collaborative effort, initially fostered by members of the Joint Action on Health Information (JA InfAct), quickly gained the European Commission's support and formalisation under the Population Health Research Infrastructure (PHIRI).

REF meetings provided a trusted platform for ad-hoc inquiries, shared perspectives, and insights, involving altogether 31 countries, thereof 3 non-PHIRI partners, and 11 organisations. This exchange included data, key indicators, best practices, and experiences pertinent to the Covid-19 crisis response. Notably, all REF meetings were expertly hosted, moderated, and documented by Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG) with support from Sciensano.

A retrospective Needs Assessment Summary reflects on REF's development over four phases corresponding to pandemic evolution across Europe. It showcases main topics and modifications to the REF processes and methodology as well as the progress of topics over time.

A SWOT Analysis reveals that strengths include REF´s adaptability for expanding to other thematic areas, its transparent structure fostering trust, and the rapid communication and information exchange it facilitated. However, it also shared the need for incentives to sustain long-term engagement.

In conclusion, REF demonstrated its value during the Covid-19 pandemic by providing a reliable network for evidence-based cross-country exchange. Its flexibility and expansion into population health topics illustrate its sustainability. The European Health Information Portal (HIP) and REF exchange must be maintained to enable efficient communication among stakeholders for future health crises.