Computerized health information in The Netherlands: a registration network of family practices.
A registration network of family practices (Registratienet Huisartspraktijken) has recently been established in the Netherlands. Forty two general practitioners in 15 practices, with a patient population of 80,000 people, are using a general practice health information system to establish a central computerized anonymous database containing certain patient characteristics and all relevant health problems. By September 1990 patient characteristics and problem lists for 32,972 patients had been entered and a total of 94,476 health problems had been identified. The database has been set up primarily as a sampling frame, allowing researchers to identify patients with particular health problems. The database can also provide descriptive data on prevalence and incidence rates, fulfil a monitoring function and provide data for practice audit, medical education and health management.
Metsemakers
J F
JF
Department of General Practice, University of Limburg, The Netherlands.
Höppener
P
P
Knottnerus
J A
JA
Kocken
R J
RJ
Limonard
C B
CB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007256:Information Systems; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011786:Quality Control; D012042:Registries; D012106:Research