[Evaluation of various public health infectious diseases surveillance systems based on a generic protocol]

Background: InVS, the French Institute of Public Health, coordinates and conducts several public health surveillance systems. In 2009, an evaluation protocol aiming at evaluating different surveillance systems was developed according to the international recommendations.

Methods: Between 2009 and 2013, four evaluations in the field of infectious diseases were performed by panels of independent public health experts using a generic protocol.

Results-conclusion: This article presents the protocol, the mains results of each of the four evaluations and their impact on the Institute's surveillance strategy. It also addresses the strengths and the limitations of this standardized approach.