Using population-based routine data for evidence-based health policy decisions: lessons from three examples of setting and evaluating national health policy in Australia- the UK and the USA.

BACKGROUND: The desire for evidence-based health policy and practice is well established. Routine population-based health information systems play a fundamental role to inform policy decisions and to evaluate their effectiveness. METHODS: This paper presents three case studies of using population-based data in national health policy from three countries--USA (prescription drug safety)- Australia (childhood immunization) and UK (hospital waiting times)--which were chosen to represent a diversity of health policy issues. The utilization of population-based databases and the social and political context in which the data were used are examined. Our goal was to summarize general lessons learned for policy decision-makers and other users and developers of population-based databases. RESULTS: Key lessons presented include: the importance of political will in initiating and sustaining data collection and analysis at a national level/ the types of decision-making factors databases can address/ and how the data were integrated into the decision-making process. CONCLUSION: Population-based routine data provide an important piece of the mosaic of evidence for health policy decision makers. They can be used to assess the magnitude of the health problem- including which populations are most vulnerable/ to develop policy goals/ and to track and evaluate the effectiveness of health policy interventions.