Speakers
Description
Authors: Djoeke van Dalen (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), Elke Hackländer (Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG)), Marika Kylänen (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)), Yvette Shajanian Zarneh (Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG)) Katarzyna Lewtak (National Institute of Public Health (PZH)), Laetitia Gouffé-Benadiba (Santé publique France)
Chair: Yvette Shajanian Zarneh
Presenter/Corresponding author: Yvette Shajanian Zarneh
What if decision-makers had immediate access to interventions that are proven to work—clearly assessed, policy-relevant, and ready to implement? Best practice portals promise exactly that. Yet, in reality, their transformative potential often goes untapped.
As health systems across Europe confront rising chronic disease burdens and limited resources, structured access to practice-based evidence is more essential than ever. Best practice portals—or programme registers—are designed to collect, evaluate, and disseminate proven public health interventions. When aligned with policymaker needs, they enable more strategic, evidence-informed investments. Yet, many portals remain fragmented, poorly promoted, or disconnected from national strategies and funding processes. The result: limited visibility, reduced uptake, and missed opportunities for impact.
To address this gap, seven countries have come together through the EuroHealthNet Thematic Working Group on Best Practice Portals. Their aim: to identify what works, share lessons, and strengthen the role of portals in shaping public health policy and funding. Insights from this collaboration are now informing key initiatives, including the Joint Action PreventNCD, Joint Action MENTOR and activities under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
This interactive workshop presents the core findings from this European knowledge exchange. Through real-world examples and structured dialogue, it explores how national and European portals can evolve into more user-centred, strategically integrated, and politically visible tools for advancing public health and health equity.
Objectives
Participants will:
• Understand how best practice portals can support more effective public health investment through evidence-informed decision-making
• Learn about ongoing efforts to harmonize criteria and enhance comparability across countries
• Explore how portals can be embedded into national strategies, and linked to funding instruments and EU-level initiatives.
Key messages
• Best practice portals are critical policy tools—when they are visible, accessible, and aligned with policy priorities
• European cooperation is essential to unlock their full transformative potential
| Conflict of interest | The authors declare no conflict of interest. |
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