In the framework of PPRI, several tools to coordinate and improve information-sharing between the PPRI network members and to eventually enhance cross-country collaboration have been devised. They are continuously being tested for feasibility in PPRI’s daily work, and they are further developed and adapted.
PPRI tools include glossaries, procedures for PPRI network queries and templates for surveying and analysing pharmaceutical policies.
- Promoting a common language – glossaries:
To ensure a common understanding of national experts who are familiar with their country concepts, a glossary in English language was established in 2006 and has been further extended ever since. Definitions provided in this Glossary of Pharmaceutical Terms are accessible in an online search.
Glossaries have been made available in different languages, such as in German and Spanish.
- Coordinated exchange of information – PPRI network queries:
To ensure a structured approach of sharing information within the PPRI network (beyond face-to-face meetings), a set of procedural guidelines and templates for ad-hoc queries (so-called PPRI network queries) was developed. In the course of PPRI’s existence more than 400 PPRI network queries have been launched. Findings of some the PPRI network queries have been used for research.
- Surveying, describing and analysing pharmaceutical systems and policies – Templates and indicators:
To allow a description and comparison of pharmaceutical (pricing and reimbursement) systems and their policies, meta-indicators have been defined and have been incorporated in templates for national reporting systems. To account for specificities of the pharmaceutical systems (e.g. hospital sector, countries with different degree of universal health coverage) and for different degree of detail in the reporting (full reports, brief report, posters), different types of templates have been developed.
See different sets of indicators and templates for reporting systems at https://ppri.goeg.at/methodology_documents.
These tools can be easily adapted for use in newly established networks, such as the EECA PPRI network or the PPRI Medical Devices network.
As a contribution to the international scientific and policy-making community, tools developed for the PPRI network are made publicly available as part of the service provision of the Department (see https://ppri.goeg.at/methodology).
For further reading: Vogler S, Leopold C, Zimmermann N et al. (2014): The Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Information (PPRI) initiative - Experiences from engaging with pharmaceutical policy makers. Health Policy and Technology 3: 139-148