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Continuous Morbidity Registration at Dutch Sentinel Stations 2008.

Donker, G.A. Continuous Morbidity Registration at Dutch Sentinel Stations 2008. Utrecht: NIVEL, 2010. 167 p.
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Continuous Morbidity Registration is a method of gathering data by means of records kept by general practitioners. A national network of general practices, called Sentinel Stations, covers with the patients registered in these practices about 0,8% of the Dutch population. The network structure takes account of the geographical distribution of the population and its distribution over areas with different degrees of urbanisation.
The GPs in the network, the sentinel doctors, submit weekly data with regard to certain illnesses, events and procedures in general practice. In 2008 most practices provided these data electronically and ICPC-coded. The composition of the practice populations is updated yearly, in order to know precisely how the data relate to the whole population. Generally, the data are extrapolated to frequencies per 10,000 men or women and per age group.

Each year the Counselling Committee selects the topics to be registered. The Committee also considers requests and suggestions received from other parties. If a decision is made for the inclusion of a new topic a supervisor working at Nivel or from outside who is responsible for the registration is assigned.

At least five conditions must be met for a disease or occurrence to be registered:
1. The importance of the topic must be described.
2. Strict and unambiguous criteria must be definable for the disease or occurrence to be registered.
3. Application of these criteria must not take too much time and must fit in with the GP's work.
4. A need must exist for representative information at the national level.
5. The CMR Sentinel Stations must be the best source of information.