EC launches HEIDI health wiki

The Directorate General of Health and Consumers and the European Commission are developing a new website to provide information to health professionals across Europe.

The HEIDI (Health in Europe Information and Data Interface) will deliver comparable data on the public’s state of health, disease patterns and symptoms, health trends, institutional and political guidelines, and measures in the health sector.

The two-way tool will allow approved experts, health authorities and various health institutions from within the EU to constantly update and adjust its content with relevant information.

The initial content provided on the wiki has been based on information from the Eugloreh report (Report on the Status of Health in the European Union), which involved more than 170 European health experts and was published last year.

It will target policy makers, health professionals, academics and nongovernmental organisatons; although anybody who has internet access will be able to use HEIDI.

The website, which was launched at the beginning of the month, is still in its pilot phase. However, it already allows keyword searches and for HEIDI-accredited editors to change or submit information. The full version of the site is expected next year.