PHRN Infrastructure and Investment Priorities 2020-23

Thursday, December 05, 2019

PHRN Infrastructure and Investment Priorities 2020-23

The Population Health Research Network has set its infrastructure and investment priorities for 2020-23. After extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders five priority areas were identified with seven associated challenges. These priority areas will be the focus of PHRN funding and activities in the next three years.

A variety of methods including online surveys, interviews and workshops were used to canvas the opinions of stakeholders about their data linkage infrastructure needs and priorities over the next five years. The results of the consultations with researchers, PHRN Participant staff and governance committees were consolidated into priority areas and challenges. The priorities and challenges to be addressed by the PHRN are: 

Simple and timely application and approval processes
Challenge 1: Implement a data application system in all jurisdictions and for cross-jurisdictional projects where the researcher is only required to complete one application form.
Challenge 2: Reduce the time it takes from when a project is approved to delivery of linked data to the researcher.

Therapeutic Development
Challenge 3: Routinely link clinically relevant data collections for use at several stages along the therapeutic development pipeline including long term follow-up of clinical trials participants and for regulatory approval and reimbursement submissions.
Challenge 4: Provide a service which provides simple descriptive analysis of linked data required to meet the planning needs of the therapeutic development sector.

Secure Access and Cybersecurity
Challenge 5: Provide secure remote access facilities which are flexible, scalable and meet researcher needs.

The Governance and Authorising Environment
Challenge 6: Support better understanding of the authorising environment, provide education and training for all stakeholders and involve the community in the work of the PHRN.

Capital Upgrades for Existing Infrastructure
Challenge 7: Maintain or improve the coordinated delivery of linked data to researchers through further investment in existing capital infrastructure.

For further information about the consultation, a summary of the report on stakeholder consultation can be found here.