Ewout van Ginneken

Working on HiTs for the European Observatory on

Health systems and Policies

Process, template and working with authors

19. April 2023 119. April 2023 1

Working on HiTs

2

Structure

1. What is a HiT?

2. The HiT production process

Working on HiTs

3

The HiT

1. Introduction

2. The HiT production process

3. Discussion

Health Systems in Transition (HiT)

Describe and analyze a country’s health system and key reform initiatives

Based on a common set of questions and follow the same structure, enabling easy cross-country comparisons

Seek to provide relevant information to support policy-makers and analysts in the development of health systems in Europe and beyond

Working on HiTs

4

The HiT production process

The HiT production process uses a phased approach that can be adapted to a regional context

Process is managed by an editor from one of the research hubs (i.e. Berlin University of Technology, LSE and LSHTM)

Each hub is responsible for a region of Europe Overall management of HiTs is centralised in

Brussels A template is used based on a common set of

questions Production time varies and depends on many

variables Updates every 3-4 years

Working on HiTs

5

The HiT production process: 1. appointing authors

Research Directors (RDs) and editors discuss/agree authors –and approach potential candidates.

The Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (OBS) works with authors from the country!• Ownership

New development: OBS is setting up “National Lead Institutions” (NLIs) • linking more formally with research

teams/institutions that routinely update HiTs

• More sustainable ways of updating and promoting the profiles

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping5

Working on HiTs

6

The HiT production process: 2. Notifying the Ministry

OBS will then let the MoH know the proposed plans/process (including the review stage) through WHO.

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping6

Working on HiTs

7

The HiT production process: 3. working with authors

The OBS editor normally takes responsibility for:• Organizing a kick-off meeting: briefing

authors• adhering to the template• managing the timetable • reading and editing various drafts;• preparing the summary and figures

until the point where the HiT is ready for review

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping7

Working on HiTs

8

The HiT production process: 4. Reviewing and completing the text

OBS RDs help ensure the right reviewers are chosen

Again OBS writes to the Ministry asking them to participate in the review stage and help coordinate approaches to OBS Partners

The editor will then complete the process • writing to and following up with

reviewers;• introducing changes; • finalizing the text

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping8

Working on HiTs

9

The HiT production process: 5. Quality control and agreement to move to publication

OBS RDs read, comment on and sign off all complete HiTs/summaries and ensure that the quality is appropriate before copy editing begins

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping9

Working on HiTs

19. April 2023 10

The HiT production process: 6. Copy editing, layout and proof reading

Copy editing is centralised in London The publications officer see that the text is

properly copy edited, laid out etc. • Editors will be asked to check after

copy editing and again after lay out.

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping10

Working on HiTs

11

The HiT production process: 7. Agreement final laid out text:

OBS sends the final text to the Ministry as a courtesy 2 week before printing, pointing out they have already commented.

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping11

Working on HiTs

12

The HiT production process: 8. Publication

At the deadline OBS clears through WHO. Clearance is followed by printing and posting on the web

From final text to printing takes 3-6 months

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping12

Working on HiTs

13

The HiT production process: 9. Translation

OBS routinely translates all HiT summaries into Russian.

OBS will decide which HiTs to translate in full into Russian

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping13

Working on HiTs

14

The HiT production process: 10. Dissemination

The editor and Dissemination Officer typically:• leads on drawing up a distribution list

with the author team• identifies launching opportunities• drafts press releases, • plans articles etc.

OBS helps coordinate launches and Partners involvement and will link as many launches to workshops as possible.

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping14

Working on HiTs

15

The HiT production process: 11. Record keeping

Record keeping

Appointing authors

Notifying the Ministry

Working with authors

Review & completing

Quality control

Copy editing

Agreement final text

Publication

Translation

Dissemination

Record keeping15

Working on HiTs

Discussion

For more information, please visit:

www.healthobservatory.eu

16