Belgium
Cancer Centers
Healthcare System
Belgium's healthcare system is a compulsory, social health insurance system. It operates under a model that combines both public and private sectors, with a blend of universal coverage and income-based premiums.
The system is managed by the Ministry of Health at the national level, composed of the Federal Public Service for Health, Food Chain Safety, and Environment, and by regional governments in Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels-Capital. Health insurance funds, known as "mutualities," are responsible for the management of the social health insurance system.
The Belgian population receives a wide range of healthcare benefits through the system, including primary care, specialist care, hospital care, mental health services, dental care, maternity care, rehabilitation services, and prescription medications. Preventive care and health promotion services are also provided. There is no gatekeeping system in place.
All Belgian residents are required to join a health insurance fund, which is typically linked to their employment or their family's employment. Access to healthcare benefits is granted upon registration with a health insurance fund, and coverage extends to dependents as well. The system is funded by income-based contributions from employees, employers, and the government, ensuring comprehensive coverage for all citizens.
Belgium has implemented a nationwide electronic health record (EHR) system called eHealth. This platform securely centralizes patients' medical records, allowing healthcare providers to access and update relevant information. Data from insurance claims, registries, and other sources is also collected and stored in the eHealth system, which aims to improve the overall efficiency and quality of care while maintaining patient privacy.
Administrative or Claims Data
Database: AIM-IMA Healthcare Data
Sponsor, manager or home institution: AIM-IMA.
Primary purpose: To store information on health care services provided to members of Belgium's seven health insurance funds under compulsory health insurance.
Type of information: Data Dictionary: AIM-IMA Healthcare Data. More information about the database can be found here.
Source of Information: Health insurance fund records.
Data level: Patient level.
Number of Records: 99% of the population of Belgium.
Date Range: Unknown.
Cancer Areas of Interest: Unknown.
Open data access: Data is partially publicly available. Publicly available data can be found here. Information on how to access complete database can be found [
Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here.
Registries
Database: Belgian Cancer Registry
Sponsor, manager or home institution: Belgian Cancer Registry.
Primary purpose: To collect and provide information about cancer in the country
Type of information:
Available type of information:
Source of Information: Healthcare facilities that have oncology care programs and provide services for pathological anatomy are required by law to collaborate with cancer registration.
Data level: Patient level.
Available data level: National and regional level.
Number of Records: Unknown.
Date Range: 1997 onwards.
Cancer Areas of Interest:
Open data access: Data is partially publicly available. Publicly available data can be found here. Information on how to access the complete database can be found here.
Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here.
Database: StatBel Cause of Death Registry
Sponsor, manager or home institution: Statistics Belgium.
Primary purpose: To compile statistics on causes of death in Belgium using statistical declaration-of-death forms and WHO's ICD-10 coding.
Type of information: [1]
Available type of information:
Source of Information: Statistical declaration-of-death forms (Model IIIC and Model IIID) that are filled out by a certifying physician and completed by the municipal administration of the place of death for every death that occurs in Belgium, which are then forwarded to the Communities and aggregated by AD Statistics to compile the statistics at the federal level.
Data level: Patient level.
Available data level: National and regional level.
Number of Records: Unknown.
Date Range: 1998 onwards.
Cancer Areas of Interest:
Open data access: Data is partially publicly available. Publicly available data can be found here. Information on how to access the complete database can be found here.
Information/Contact for data request: Contact information can be found here.
