The Covid-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on health care in Belgium during the year 2020: suspension of all non-emergency care for almost two months, followed by a gradual, yet bumpy recovery. Illustrating practice variations in this context is a rather hazardous undertaking which would make any interpretation perilous, at least through the prism of practice variations as illustrated here. As things stand, the data for the year 2020 are therefore intentionally not shown here.
However, all the published analyses have just been renewed, based on the year 2019, with a review of our methodology in order to aim for greater fidelity to reality, but also with new contributions such as details by province of the frequency of of practice occurrences and the patient care settings.
The exploration of the various databases is also continuing, always with the idea of adding value to what already exists. In this context, new themes have been developed, this time through the care provider (see Multidisciplinary Oncology Consultation).
The analysis of patients by specialty, which until now has been based on data for 2018, has now been updated for 2019. This analysis sheds additional light on the reading of the analyses of variations in practices in order to help interpret the data as accurately as possible in their context, especially as they now relate to the same year.
The analysis of variations in medical practice is intended to be collaborative. We are therefore at your disposal if you want to comment on these analyses, suggest a theme or an improvement to our programme, and of course your contribution is welcome if you are interested in bringing your expertise to "decrypt" the data in the light of your knowledge of the practice.
Contact : appropriatecare@riziv-inami.fgov.be