Over the past two decades, we have seen outbreaks of emerging, re-emerging, and endemic pathogens that have spread rapidly, driven by factors such as global connectivity, an aging population, population growth, and climate change.
In order to improve prevention and control of the diseases caused by these pathogens it is essential to establish surveillance systems that efficiently and effectively detect outbreaks and notify them to competent authorities. The timely exchange of data across institutions and countries is crucial to contain the spread of the infection. The term Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAI) in particular refers to infections that patients get in a healthcare facility while receiving medical care. HAIs among infections, deserve particular attention for the complications that they might cause in patients and also because HAIs can largely be avoided by applying correct infection prevention and control measures.
The data on HAI at European level is collected by the ECDC through the TESSy surveillance system,
This use case intends to support efficient exchange and monitoring of HAIs data by providing mapping to international interoperability standards for the data collected by ECDC. This use case aims to support the efficient exchange and monitoring of HAI (Healthcare-Associated Infections) data by mapping the data collected by ECDC to international interoperability standards. The goal is to establish a direct connection between data captured in primary care and the information needed for HAI monitoring at both national and European levels. This will be achieved by proposing a standard data model that is consistent across primary systems and secondary use, enabling seamless mapping to international standards.
Document Version: V1.0
Responsible Party: xShare WP4
Source:
As-Is Situation
HAI data are collected by European countries following local procedures and are then transformed to align with the TESSy metadata schema for integration at the international level. The data collection follows a predefined schedule, with national public health authorities submitting their data in accordance with the specified metadata schema. Submissions can be made directly through the TESSy platform or by uploading XML or CSV files..
Currently available products/services and its vendors
Data is submitted to ECDC via the TESSy system
HelicsWin.Net is a Free software tool for local data collection
Which health-related standard does your organisation uses and its alignment to the EEHRxF?
To support data collection, the ECDC has developed a metadata schema aimed at harmonizing HAI information across Europe. This is a valuable step toward European-level standardization. However, many HAI-related concepts still rely on local or protocol-specific coding systems rather than international standards, particularly for epidemiological variables and answer value sets. Data can be submitted directly to the TESSy System or via CSV and XML files.
Actors/Users and their Roles
| Healthcare facilities | Collect HAI data according to the EEHRxF format and send them to national authorities |
| National authorities | Send the data from the different healthcare facilities to the TESSy system and are enabled to create real-time monitoring systems |
| ECDC | Tessy imports EEHRxF-compliant data . ECDC is enabled to create real-time monitoring systems |
User Perspective
The same EEHRxF format is used by laboratories, healthcare providers, EHRs and public health suthorities to reduce delay between data collection and data transmission to competent authorities while also preserving data quality.
System Perspective
EEHRxF-enabled systems will be able to collect and exchange HAI data using the same format. Ideally also Tessy will be enabled to receive EEHRxF-compliant data.
Health Information Domain(s) – HIDs:
- Laboratory Results
National/regional strategy
National public health authorities are enabled to receive and send data according to the EEHRxF
Strategy towards EHDS
Exploit the EEHRxF to make HAI data readily available, reduce data delay and maintain data quality in the transmission of data from laboratories to public health authorities
Business Goals/Benefits and KPIs
Administrative semplification by enabling “only once” strategies from laboratories to national and international public health authorities.
Enable real-time monitoring.
KPIs
- Number of laboratories and healthcare facilities adopting the EEHRxF for HAI data
- Number of submissions of EEHRxF compliant data to ECDC
- Number of real-time monitoring systems
Application
Import/Export functionalities for EEHRxF data
Data Preconditions
EEHRxF –compliant data model for HAI data
System Preconditions
Healthcare facilities information systems should be enabled to manage IPS+R data according to the EEHRxF.
ECDC should be enabled to import EEHRxF-compliant data
User Preconditions
Capability of sending data in EEHRxF format
Trigger
HAI infection occurring in ICU
Challenges/Limitations
Enable all laboratories and healthcare providers to produce data according to the EEHRxF.
Enable TESSy to receive data in a EEHRxF –compliant format.
Involved stakeholders in the BUC definition
Charité, EHTEL, Sciensano
Application of pseudonymisation filters
No
Basic Workflow
- A nosocomial infection is detected in a German ICU
- HAI information compliant to EEHRxF is stored at the hospital and also sent to the regional and national authority
- National authorities are enabled to use the data for real-time monitoring of HAIs
- National authorities send EEHRxF data to the European HAI Surveillance Network
Thanks to the EHDS and the standardization of data no transformation is needed to send the data from ICU to the European Network Surveillance.
