A vision for the future: An ESC Data Centre
27 Aug 2023
The ESC Strategic Plan 2023–2028 sets out six clear and unifying aims to guide the society’s continued success and development over the next 5 years. One strategic aim focuses on high quality data and research. Here, ESC President, Professor Franz Weidinger, tells us more about why high quality data collection is such an important element and explains a key initiative to help realise the ESC’s data vision:
“CVD statistics generated by the ESC highlight the huge impact that CVD continues to have on the lives of people in Europe. If we are to fulfil the ESC’s mission to reduce the burden of CVD, we need a clear picture of all the components: an accurate understanding of epidemiology, robust evidence on the burden – medically, socially and economically – and an overview of the comprehensiveness of current management approaches so that we are aware of the true realities and where there are gaps that need to be addressed.
The ESC currently has multiple data-collection activities that help to provide some of these components. The ESC Atlas of Cardiology and the new Oxford-ESC Burden of Cardiovascular Disease project collect and present epidemiological statistics on human and capital infrastructure, as well as cardiovascular healthcare delivery and related costs. Over the years, EUROASPIRE surveys have evaluated implementation of ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines recommendations and continue to do so. The sixth EUROASPIRE survey is underway to investigate the cardiometabolic and renal continuum in both secondary and primary CVD prevention under the auspices of ESC’s new programme of observational research, the Global Registries And Surveys Programme (GRASP), which replaces the EURObservational Research Programme. GRASP is a series of short- and longer-term observational surveys and studies on routine clinical practice that aim to monitor adherence to guideline recommendations, to prevent and manage common and rare CVDs, and to monitor the efficacy and safety of treatments in collaboration with National Cardiac Societies. In 2019, ESC also initiated EuroHeart, the European Unified Registries for Heart Care Evaluation and Randomised Trials. Since its inception, EuroHeart is operating clinical quality registries on a growing number of common CVDs to monitor the appropriateness and effectiveness of care by routinely collecting, analysing and reporting results with the ultimate aim of continuously improving systems of care.
Our vision is to bring all these informative projects together in an integrated, connected way – into an ESC Data Centre – and make the most of their capabilities.
The vision behind an ESC Data Centre is to enhance, coordinate and consolidate the existing data collection components. The power of this connectivity will help the ESC to deliver the strategic aim of ‘High Quality Data and Research’. Collaboration between cardiologists and data scientists becomes increasingly important if we want to harness the rapidly growing trove of big data for healthcare and research. Enabled with consolidated data, the ESC’s position as a trusted partner for the European Union and other funding bodies will be strengthened. In addition, the work of the ESC Data Centre will support our National Cardiac Societies by providing impactful, meaningful and trustworthy data that they can use for advocacy within their own countries. And what will the data-driven strategic aim and ESC Data Centre mean for healthcare professionals and patients? Raising the quality of evidence should act as a catalyst for uncovering unsolved clinical challenges, improve targeting of resources towards CVD prevention and treatment, and ensure that we advance patient care beyond current levels.”
How can you find out more about the ESC’s data-collection activities? Visit the Celebrating Data stand at the Lounge & Exchange Area.
