RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Computerized health information in The Netherlands: a registration network of family practices. JF British Journal of General Practice JO Br J Gen Pract FD British Journal of General Practice SP 102 OP 106 VO 42 IS 356 A1 J F Metsemakers A1 P Höppener A1 J A Knottnerus A1 R J Kocken A1 C B Limonard YR 1992 UL http://bjgp.org/content/42/356/102.abstract AB 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.