Standardizing COVID-19 Indicators for Primary Healthcare in 31 European Countries

Researchers have stressed the need for harmonized healthcare indicators to respond effectively to future health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of integrating electronic health records (EHRs) and sentinel networks in monitoring epidemiological surveillance and public health decision-making. However, the lack of standardized primary healthcare (PHC) indicators for COVID-19 hinders the comparability of data among countries.

Key Takeaways:

• A two-round eDelphi study, conducted using a structured web-based survey, involved 164 experts from the Eurodata study to achieve consensus on a set of standardized PHC activity indicators related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The study selected 86 indicators based on their availability during the current pandemic and rated their relevance and utility by participants.
• Of the 22 initial indicators, seven received consensus for inclusion, while two remained contentious after the second round.
• The research emphasized the necessity for indicators to be standardized, reproducible, and easily extractable from databases, with recommendations for disaggregation by age, sex, and vaccination status.
• The consensus highlighted significant discrepancies in the awareness of sentinel networks and accessibility to PHC data.
• Key COVID-19 indicators for PHC were identified, reflecting a consensus among healthcare professionals.

Statistics:

• 164 experts participated in the two-round eDelphi study.
• 86 indicators were selected based on their availability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 22 initial indicators were presented to participants, with seven receiving consensus for inclusion and two remaining contentious.
• 31 European countries participated in the study.

Sources:

• Identifying essential COVID-19 indicators for primary healthcare through Delphi analysis in 31 European countries: Eurodata eDelphi study. European Journal of Public Health, 2025.
• European Journal of Public Health. Oxford Univ Press, Great Clarendon St, Oxford OX2 6DP, England.