Evidence and policies in health systems: how (dis)connected are they? Lessons from a European survey

Abstract Background Evidence is a vital element for informing sustainable decisions in health and care systems in Europe and globally. Still, translating evidence into policy measures remains a persisting challenge. One of the objectives of the European partnership ‘Transforming Health and Care Systems’ (THCS) is to seek to close this gap. This paper shares lessons learned from a multi-country working group that coordinated a survey on how research informs policy decisions in health and care systems. Methods A multinational, cross-professional working group was established in order to coordinate survey distribution, progress, and reflect on emerging insights. A descriptive approach was employed to draw key lessons-learned around the analysis of the survey's first wave (February-September 2024). Throughout the process, the group met regularly, based on a consented agenda, and collectively agreed on takeaways. Insights were drawn from group reflections and iterative review of survey data. Results Some of the key lessons which emerged from the analysis of responses from 273 professionals across multiple countries include: (1) survey accessibility improved through multilingual responses; (2) engaging policy-makers was challenging, despite multiple outreach efforts; (3) overlapping professional attributions made it tough for participants to select only one identity; (4) different professional backgrounds revealed distinct needs across the policy cycle. Overall, these reflections allowed the identification of cross-cutting themes: importance of context-sensitive communication, the complexity of stakeholder's roles, and the value of comparative learning. Conclusions Even with careful planning, the dynamic nature of policy engagement requires adaptability, contextual sensitivity, and continuous learning. Future steps, such as in-depth interviews, will build on these insights to refine strategies to facilitate translation of research and innovation into health and care policies. Key messages • Bridging research and policy requires adaptable strategies and recognition of complex attributions. • Learnings across roles strengthens how research guides sustainable decisions in health.