The knowledge gathered or developed by RIVM is not only of great importance to the government, but also to health care professionals. RIVM makes this knowledge available in the form of reports, position papers, brochures and websites. Information about public health is of particular importance to municipal health departments, hospitals, GPs and other research institutes. RIVM’s expertise in the field of environmental quality is of value to regional environmental management organizations and research institutes, although it is of course also made available to stakeholder groups and commercial organizations.
In principle, all knowledge acquired by RIVM through its own research or by collating knowledge from other sources is in the public domain. In the vast majority of cases, research results and other findings are published on our various websites. Wherever possible, RIVM will also publish its results in leading international scientific journals.
Information for professionals
Toolkits for public communication
RIVM produces a number of resource ‘toolkits’ with which both the organization and its partners can support the professional field in providing public health education.
Loketgezondleven.nl
The Healthy Living Helpdesk answers queries from professionals and offers them a platform on which to share knowledge about effective lifestyle interventions. All lifestyle interventions which have been devised thus far are listed in a searchable database. Local health authorities and other professionals have access to this database, and can also add details of their own interventions for the benefit of fellow professionals.
Information for the general public
Where appropriate, RIVM provides information for the general ‘lay’ public. Products include brochures about certain infectious diseases and the population screening programmes, as well as a number of websites. They include http://www.kiesbeter.nl/ (Dutch only), developed and maintained by RIVM to allow members of the public, as ‘consumers’, to make an informed choice of health care provider, health care insurer, etc. Other organizations engaged in health education, such as the Nutrition Centre, also make extensive use of information produced by RIVM.