title: The Intego database: background, methods and basic results of a Flemish general practice-based continuous morbidity registration project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intego is the only operational computerized morbidity registration network in Belgium based on general practice data. Intego collects data from over 90 general practitioners. All the information is routinely collected in the electronic health record during daily practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article we describe the design and methods used within the Intego network together with some of its basic results. The collected data, the quality control procedures, the ethical-legal aspects and the statistical procedures are discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intego contains longitudinal information on 285 357 different patients, corresponding to over 2.3% of the Flemish population representative in terms of age and sex. More than 3 million diagnoses, 12 million drug prescriptions and 29 million laboratory tests have been recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intego enables us to present and compare data on health parameters, incidence and prevalence rates, laboratory results, and prescribed drugs for all relevant subgroups on a routine basis and is unique in Belgium.
authors.affiliation: Department of general practice, Kapucijnenvoer 33 blok j bus 7001 te B-3000 Leuven, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. carla.truyers@med.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Truyers
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goderis
authors.forename: Harrie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dewitte
authors.forename: Marjan vanden
authors.initials: Mv
authors.lastname: Akker
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buntinx
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000592:standards*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards*; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult