What the study found
The study is investigating whether a code-based extraction system can replace the current questionnaire-based system for influenza-like illness (ILI, a flu-like symptom syndrome) surveillance in Belgian general practices.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say the work could help identify the most suitable alternative for effective and long-term ILI surveillance, and that it may help redefine the role of the COVID-19 Barometer in general practices for robust disease surveillance. They also state that the protocol could be a basis for validating other syndromic surveillance data from extraction-based primary care systems.
What the researchers tested
The researchers are carrying out an observational retrospective study covering three influenza seasons from 2021 to 2024. They are comparing the code-based COVID-19 Barometer in General Practices, which extracts data from electronic medical records, with the questionnaire-based Belgian Sentinel General Practitioners network.
What worked and what didn't
The abstract says the COVID-19 Barometer enabled a high general practitioner participation rate and rapid follow-up of COVID-19, and it also collected ILI data as an early marker of COVID-19 activity. The study is set up to assess the systems using nine attributes: data quality, ILI incidence, sensitivity, representativeness, timeliness, acceptability, simplicity, stability, and flexibility.
What to keep in mind
This is a protocol, so the abstract does not report final comparative results. The limitations of the systems are still being examined in the ongoing study, and the abstract does not provide specific outcomes or a final recommendation.
Key points
- The study compares a code-based extraction system with a questionnaire-based surveillance network for ILI in Belgian general practices.
- The COVID-19 Barometer in General Practices extracted data from electronic medical records and supported COVID-19 surveillance.
- The research uses an observational retrospective design spanning three influenza seasons, from 2021 to 2024.
- The comparison is based on nine surveillance attributes, including data quality, sensitivity, timeliness, and acceptability.
- The abstract does not report final results because this is a protocol.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Protocol compares two systems for Belgian ILI surveillance
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-03
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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