From Data to Decisions: Leveraging the National IICU Data Stream

Infection-related outcomes in the ICU are influenced by complex interactions between host factors, pathogens, and clinical interventions. To address this heterogeneity, the National IICU (Infection-Related Outcomes in Swiss ICUs) Data Stream has been developed, building upon the foundation of the Personalized Swiss Sepsis Study (PSSS). The scope has been extended beyond sepsis to support personalized, data-driven care for a wider range of infectious conditions. This initiative integrates high-resolution, multi-source clinical data with standardized annotation of infection phenotypes, interventions, and outcomes. It emphasizes contextual understanding—capturing not just what was done, but why—by combining expert clinical input with structured ontologies. The platform follows FAIR principles to ensure long-term usability and interoperability across institutions. In this presentation, I will introduce the structure and aims of the IICU Data Stream, report on key lessons learned, including challenges in data harmonization, clinical context capture, and balancing algorithmic and expert-based phenotype interpretation. These insights have directly informed the design of the current infrastructure. Ultimately, the IICU Data Stream seeks to enable real-time, individualized decision support, support infection-related research, and improve outcomes in critical care. It serves as a model for integrating clinical, microbiological, and data science expertise into a unified national resource.