title: Case registry systems for pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Europe: are there lessons for the future?
abstract: Countries across Europe developed a range of database systems to register pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases. Anecdotal reports indicate that some systems were not as useful as expected. This was a cross-sectional, semi-structured survey of health professionals who collected and reported pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases in 23 countries within the 27 European Union (EU) Member States plus Norway. We describe here the experiences of using pandemic case register systems developed before and during the pandemic, whether the systems were used as intended and, what problems, if any, were encountered. We conducted the survey to identify improvements that could be made to future pandemic case registers at national and EU level. Despite many inter-country differences, 17 respondents felt that a standardised case register template incorporating a limited number of simple standard variables specified in advance and agreed between the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control could be useful. Intra- and inter-country working groups could facilitate information exchange, clearer system objectives and improved interoperability between systems.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Greenland
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rondy
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van der Hoek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robert-Du Ry van Beest Holle
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005062:European Union; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000592:standards*; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000592:standards; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009664:Norway; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines