Swiss Learning Health System: A national initiative to establish learning cycles for continuous health system improvement

Learn Health Syst. 2018 Jun 21;2(3):e10059. doi: 10.1002/lrh2.10059. eCollection 2018 Jul.

Abstract

The health system in Switzerland is considered as one of the best in the world. Nevertheless, to effectively and efficiently meet current and future challenges, an infrastructure and culture are needed where the best evidence is systematically made available and used, and the system evolves on the basis of a constant exchange between research, policy, and practice. The Swiss Learning Health System institutionalizes this idea as a multistakeholder national initiative to ensure continuous improvement through ongoing research and implementation. This article presents the objectives and mechanisms of the Swiss Learning Health System in the context of international initiatives to strengthen health systems and improve population health through learning cycles.

Keywords: LHS infrastructure; evidence‐informed decision‐making; management of health information; scientific capacity building; stakeholder dialogue.