The project

In Italy, the surveillance of infectious diseases needs to be strengthened by enhancing the timely transmission of laboratory results and integrating these data with other relevant sources (e.g. vaccination records, mortality and hospitalization data and other relevant clinical indicators).

A near real-time digital data stream would enable the availability of this information where and when it is needed. This is a long-term vision that must be implemented step by step, taking into account technical and legal considerations.

The general objectives of the PROVIDENT project are the following:

A) To create a digital platform to exchange information on microbiological, virological and entomological alerts to support an early warning system for the Italian surveillance system. It will be designed to increase the capacity to respond promptly to communicable disease threats and facilitate data sharing between national and regional authorities.

B) To establish an integrated microbiological surveillance system through the development of a new digital platform. This platform will allow collection and transmission of laboratory results in near real-time and it will be piloted in collaboration with three Italian regions (Lombardy, Tuscany e Sicily). Following the demonstration of its interoperability characteristics, a standardized data collection protocol will be developed as a model for the remaining 18 Italian regions/autonomous provinces.

C) To provide technical support to surveillance activities, including those pertaining parasitology and entomology, aiming to reduce under-diagnosis and under-reporting. These actions will consist in training and technical capacity building activities delivered at the different levels of the Italian healthcare systems.

D) To promote interoperability of different data collection systems and facilitate data linkage, in compliance with legal and ethical laws and standards, identifying obstacles and possible solutions.

The project will contribute to protecting people from serious cross-border infectious threats in the European Union and to strengthening the responsiveness of the Italian health system. It will create a modern model for integrated surveillance of infectious diseases and strengthen the capacity to exchange public health information among stakeholders in a timely manner.