English version of Thuisarts.nl
At GPinfo.nl you can find reliable and up-to-date information about health topics and healthcare in the Netherlands. It is the English version of Thuisarts.nl, an independent website in Dutch for health information, developed and maintained by the Dutch College of GPs. The information is written in a comprehensible and understandable way, adapted for use by the general public. GPinfo.nl contains a selection of topics from the Dutch website, as a try-out (pilot) until the end of 2020. We would very much appreciate your feedback so we can gather insights as we continue to develop and expand this first version.
Who is this website for?
GPinfo.nl is intended for anyone seeking information about health, illness or Dutch healthcare:
- if you want to stay healthy;
- if you want to know what you can do about your own health issues;
- if you want to know how to deal with your own health issues;
- if you want to know who can help you;
- if you want to know whether you should visit your GP or other doctor;
- if you want to make preparations for a consultation with your GP or other doctor;
- if you want to review your GP or other doctor's explanation or advice; or
- if you want to know more about Dutch healthcare.
Doctors and other people in the healthcare sector consult GPinfo.nl when explaining things to you.
What does GPinfo.nl offer?
Each medical text begins with a couple of important points: In brief. If you click ahead, you will receive answers to questions such as:
- What am I experiencing?
- Why is that?
- What can I do about it myself?
- Which treatments are available? Can I choose? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
- When should I call the GP or specialist?
Video clips, pictures and drawings provide further explanation.
GPinfo.nl is accessible to people with a disability (information in Dutch).
Is this information correct?
We endeavour to ensure that the information on GPinfo.nl is correct and easy to understand. To do so, we follow scientific guidelines (information in Dutch):
- guidelines for GPs
- guidelines for medical specialists
- healthcare guidelines for people with mental health symptoms and mental illnesses
When a guideline is modified, we change the information on GPinfo.nl.
Where there are no guidelines on a certain subject, we use other information, such as scientific articles, medical books and doctors’ medical opinions and arguments.
We also receive help from patient organisations.
See also the Disclaimer.
Who produces GPinfo.nl?
GPinfo.nl is a production of the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG; information in Dutch). Some of the content is created in collaboration with:
- The Dutch Federation of Medical Specialists (FMS)
- Akwa GGZ, quality alliance for mental healthcare
- The Dutch Patients’ Federation (Patiëntenfederatie Nederland)
The producers:
- Project management: Ton Drenthen
- Editor-in-chief: Patrick Jansen (GP)
- NHG editorial board: Freya Burgers, Annemieke Schaafstra, Roos de Wit and Jantine Woudstra (GPs)
Lara te Hennepe, Marjolein van Lennep, Harriët Teijen, Anita Hegeman and Hermien Vrieze (editorial team) - Project management on GPinfo.nl video material: Jantine Woudstra and Roos de Wit
- Technology and CMS: Bart van den Hoogenhoff (NHG web administrator)
With further advice provided by:
- NHG’s Editorial Information department: Hanneke Andriesse, Wieger van der Kolk, Frank Reuvekamp, Agnes Smidt (GPs), Ilse Raats (of Raats voor mensgerichte zorg, specialist in patient-centered healthcare), Anne Mooij (Dutch Patients’ Federation)
- NHG’s Guidelines and Science department
- working groups which produce guidelines for medical specialists
- visitors to GPinfo.nl
Direction, camera and editing of GPinfo.nl video material: Bart de Boer of 15minutesmedia.nl (information in Dutch).
GPs in the GPinfo.nl video clips.
Design and technology: OneShoe.
How is GPinfo.nl financed?
GPinfo.nl is financed with money from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. GPinfo.nl is an English copy of Thuisarts.nl, but contains a smaller number of topics. Thuisarts.nl is financed with money from the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG).
All GPs who are members of NHG are thereby contributors.
Thuisarts.nl also receives money from other organisations, such as:
- the Dutch Federation of Medical Specialists’ Quality Fund (SKMS), to collaborate in producing information on in-hospital treatments
- Akwa GGZ, quality alliance for mental healthcare, to collaborate in producing information on psychological complaints and illnesses
- the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), to collaborate in producing information on flu, pneumococcal infections, population screening for cervical and bowel cancer, and a number of GPinfo.nl video clips on infectious diseases
- the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum), for the co-production of GPinfo.nl video clips on nutrition
Thuisarts.nl receives no money from companies seeking financial gain, such as pharmaceutical companies.
Neither does Thuisarts.nl receive any donations or money through sponsorship.
How can you contact GPinfo.nl?
If you have any comments on the content of this site, please write to GPinfo@nhg.org. (GPinfo.nl is the smaller, English version of Thuisarts.nl.)
Would you like to collaborate on the production of information for patients, such as a decision aid? Please write to GPinfo@nhg.org.
Would you like to add a link? Please write to GPinfo@nhg.org.
Do you want to recruit participants for research, including that of a scientific nature? Unfortunately, GPinfo.nl cannot help you with this.
Neither does GPinfo.nl deploy banners or other forms of advertising.
Under no circumstances does GPinfo.nl make use of advertising for medicines, brands or other products.
You may not use the GPinfo.nl logo in advertising for your products.