19.09.2023
The Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) initiative coordinates the development of infrastructures for the responsible use of health-related data in research throughout Switzerland. The new report describes the requirements for a sustainable continuation of the data infrastructures and the coordination work after the end of the initiative in 2024.
The report, written in English with a summary in French and German, can be downloaded here or ordered free of charge as hard copy on the SAMS website: sams.ch/sphn.
A first report on the progress of SPHN for the period 2016-2019 was already published at the midpoint of the initiative. The new report shows how the continuation of the SPHN Data Coordination Center (SPHN-DCC) can be ensured beyond 2024, including the non-central support structures at the university hospitals and universities.
During a multi-stage consultation process, it became clear that after the end of the initiative, a great need remains for the services and core infrastructures created by SPHN as well as for coordination throughout Switzerland. The report summarizes the expectations and needs of the Swiss research community regarding the activities of the SPHN-DCC. It also describes which technical, organizational and financial requirements the future network should meet to enable the responsible use of health-related data in research.
Special attention is paid to the numerous interfaces with partners from research, health care and administration, as well as to the context of the evolving Swiss research landscape. This includes the national Open Research Data Strategy, efforts to create a national health data space by the federal government and the cantons, and coordination with other national research organizations. The careful embedding of the SPHN-DCC in this dynamic landscape is of great importance for the future of Switzerland as a research location.