Data Source

Registry

Type of Study

Cross-section, regular

Data gathering method

Registries

Ease

Data cannot be downloaded directly.

Conditions of access

Formal agreements (e.g. fees, research contracts, institutional agreements, etc.)

Statistics are in development; data source not yet available through CBS

Time elapsed between application and reception of data

Months

Type of available data (e.g. anonymised microdata, aggregated tables, etc.)

Anonymised microdata

Formats available

SPSS (default)

Language issues

Documentation is only available in Dutch.

Years of collection, reference years, and sample sizes

Data was collected in 2008 using an integral observation of the Dutch population.

First year of collection

2008

Stratification if applicable

Not applicable

Base used for sampling

Not applicable

Geographical coverage and breakdowns

Patients of all hospitals and semi-private hospitals that perform care covered by basic health insurance

Age range

No age restrictions

Statistical representativeness

Representative for patients of all hospitals and semi-private hospitals, performing care covered by basic health insurance.

Coverage of main and cross-cutting topics

Detailed study of: Hospital treatments, diagnosis, treatments, costs.

Possibility of linkage among databases

Linkage will be possible in the future

Entry errors if applicable

Completeness can vary per hospital

Breaks

Change in product structure in 2012

Consistency of terminology or coding used during collection

In the course of years, there have been many small changes in the system and a major change in 2012.

Strengths: This registry includes all short-stay and long-stay hospitals and semi-private hospitals, as well as outpatient care. Weaknesses: Diagnoses are not registered according to international classification.