Structure and tasks
 

Much of the practical work is carried out by the central secretariat in Helsinki (KTL and Stakes) and by the other four secretariats in Berlin (RKI), Rome (ISS), Bilthoven (RIVM), and Bielefeld (LÖGD). The collaborating partners are from Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and WHO.

The tasks have been grouped into six work packages:

• ECHIM supports Working Party Indicators by R & D work and by promoting co-ordination of the work of projects and Working Parties (WPc1).
• ECHIM maintains liaison with the structures of the Public Health Programme, other national and international organisations and Member States and their institutes (WPc2).
• ECHIM carries out development work on health indicators and monitoring and on implementation of health indicators. It also promotes gathering of comparable data, quality, information dissemination and reporting (WPc3).
• ECHIM improves and maintains the indicator database (www.healthindicators.org) (WPc4).
• ECHIM assesses the availability and comparability of health indicators and data for them and makes proposals for improvement (WPc5).
• Finally, ECHIM disseminates its results and recommendations in order to enhance implementation of indicators (WPc6).