Taxonomy Standards

Taxonomy Standards for Gezondland

Research into existing classification systems for healthcare and welfare in the Netherlands.

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1. Thesaurus Zorg en Welzijn (TZW)

THE Dutch standard for healthcare and welfare terminology.

Property	Value
Manager	Nictiz (since 2023)
Concepts	13,000 concepts
Synonyms	42,000 (total 55,000 terms)
Formats	SKOS-RDF, XML, CSV, TXT
Cost	Free (funded by Dutch Ministry of Health)
SNOMED mapping	Yes

Domains

• Curative care (primary, secondary, tertiary care)
• Long-term care
• Social domain
• Housing
• Education
• Youth

Structure (SKOS)

Concept
├── prefLabel (preferred term)
├── altLabel (synonyms)
├── definition (definition)
├── broader (broader concept)
├── narrower (more specific concept)
├── related (related concept)
└── notation (code)

Sources

• Online: Thesaurus Zorg en Welzijn
• Nictiz: Thesaurus Zorg Welzijn
• Contact: tzw@nictiz.nl (Raffaela Vlot)

Obtaining

Download requires signing user agreement via Nictiz service desk.

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2. ISCO-08 (International Standard Classification of Occupations)

ILO standard for occupations, basis for Dutch CBS classification.

Hierarchical structure

• Major Group (1-digit): 10 groups
• Sub-Major Group (2-digit): 43 groups
• Minor Group (3-digit): 130 groups
• Unit Group (4-digit): 436 groups

Healthcare & Welfare Codes

22 - Health Professionals (Higher education level)

221 Medical Doctors
├── 2211 Generalist Medical Practitioners (GPs)
└── 2212 Specialist Medical Practitioners

222 Nursing and Midwifery Professionals
├── 2221 Nursing Professionals (nurses)
└── 2222 Midwifery Professionals (midwives)

223 Traditional and Complementary Medicine Professionals
└── 2230 Traditional and Complementary Medicine Professionals

224 Paramedical Practitioners
└── 2240 Paramedical Practitioners

225 Veterinarians
└── 2250 Veterinarians

226 Other Health Professionals
├── 2261 Dentists
├── 2262 Pharmacists
├── 2263 Environmental and Occupational Health Professionals
├── 2264 Physiotherapists
├── 2265 Dieticians and Nutritionists
├── 2266 Audiologists and Speech Therapists
├── 2267 Optometrists and Ophthalmic Opticians
└── 2269 Health Professionals NEC

26 - Legal, Social and Cultural Professionals

263 Social and Religious Professionals
├── 2631 Economists
├── 2632 Sociologists, Anthropologists
├── 2633 Philosophers, Historians, Political Scientists
├── 2634 Psychologists
├── 2635 Social Work and Counselling Professionals
│   ├── Social Worker
│   ├── Family Counsellor
│   ├── Child and Youth Counsellor
│   ├── Addictions Counsellor
│   └── Probation Officer
└── 2636 Religious Professionals

32 - Health Associate Professionals (Vocational level)

321 Medical and Pharmaceutical Technicians
├── 3211 Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Equipment Technicians
├── 3212 Medical and Pathology Laboratory Technicians
├── 3213 Pharmaceutical Technicians and Assistants
└── 3214 Medical and Dental Prosthetic Technicians

322 Nursing and Midwifery Associate Professionals
├── 3221 Nursing Associate Professionals
└── 3222 Midwifery Associate Professionals

323 Traditional and Complementary Medicine Associates
└── 3230 Traditional and Complementary Medicine Associates

324 Veterinary Technicians and Assistants
└── 3240 Veterinary Technicians and Assistants

325 Other Health Associate Professionals
├── 3251 Dental Assistants and Therapists
├── 3252 Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
├── 3253 Community Health Workers
├── 3254 Dispensing Opticians
├── 3255 Physiotherapy Technicians and Assistants
├── 3256 Medical Assistants
├── 3257 Environmental and Occupational Health Inspectors
├── 3258 Ambulance Workers
└── 3259 Health Associate Professionals NEC

34 - Legal, Social and Cultural Associates

341 Legal, Social and Religious Associate Professionals
├── 3411 Police Inspectors and Detectives
├── 3412 Social Work Associate Professionals
│   ├── Welfare Support Worker
│   ├── Community Development Worker
│   └── Youth Worker
├── 3413 Religious Associate Professionals
└── 3414 Sports and Fitness Workers (fitness instructors)

53 - Personal Care Workers

531 Child Care Workers and Teachers' Aides
├── 5311 Child Care Workers
└── 5312 Teachers' Aides

532 Personal Care Workers in Health Services
├── 5321 Health Care Assistants
└── 5322 Home-based Personal Care Workers (home care)

Sources

• ILO: ISCO-08 Classification
• CBS NL: Occupational Classification
• Complete list: ISCO-08 GitHub Gist

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3. BIG Register (Healthcare Professions Act)

Legal register for protected professional titles in healthcare.

Registered professions (11 total)

1. Pharmacist
2. Physician
3. Physiotherapist
4. Healthcare Psychologist
5. Clinical Technologist
6. Orthopedagogue-Generalist
7. Physician Assistant
8. Psychotherapist
9. Dentist
10. Nurse
11. Midwife

Professions OUTSIDE BIG register

• Dietitian
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Therapist
• Podiatrist
• Pharmacy Assistant
• Care Worker IG

Source: BIG register

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4. Social Map Systems in the Netherlands

Sociale Kaart Nederland (Stimulansz)

• Uses: Thesaurus Zorg en Welzijn for keywords
• National coverage
• API available for municipalities
• URL: Sociale Kaart Nederland

DigiVerS

• Management application with database
• Municipalities: Rotterdam, The Hague, Flevoland, etc.
• Has API for own frontends
• URL: DigiVerS

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5. CBS Occupational Classification (BRC 2014)

Dutch translation of ISCO-08 with local adjustments.

Healthcare and Welfare categories

• Physicians, therapists and specialised nurses
• Social workers
• Psychologists and sociologists
• Nurses (vocational)
• Medical practice assistants
• Social workers, group and residential supervisors
• Care workers

AZW Qualifications (22 total)

Selection of healthcare/welfare qualifications for labour market research.

Source: AZW StatLine

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6. Relationship Healthcare Domain - Social Domain

Healthcare Domain (medical, insured)

• ISCO 22: Health Professionals (physicians, nurses, therapists)
• ISCO 32: Health Associates (assistants, technicians)
• Regulated via Healthcare Professions Act, Health Insurance Act
• Funding: health insurers

Social Domain (welfare, municipality)

• ISCO 2635: Social Work and Counselling
• ISCO 3412: Social Work Associates
• ISCO 53: Personal Care Workers
• Regulated via Social Support Act, Youth Act
• Funding: municipalities

The bridge (Lifestyle Medicine)

Gezondland operates in the overlap:

• Lifestyle coaches (often no BIG registration)
• Prevention initiatives
• Community health workers (3253)
• Social Prescribing concepts

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Recommendation for Gezondland

Basic taxonomy

1. Thesaurus Zorg en Welzijn as concept framework

   • Free via Nictiz
   • SKOS format, importable into MongoDB
   • 55,000 terms with synonyms

2. ISCO-08 for professions/roles

   • International standard
   • Hierarchical, 4 levels
   • Easy to map to own categories

Implementation

// MongoDB document example
{
  type: "person",
  name: "Jan de Vries",

  // ISCO-08 classification
  profession: {
    isco_code: "2264",
    label: "Physiotherapist",
    isco_major: "2",
    isco_submajor: "22"
  },

  // TZW concepts
  specialisations: [
    { tzw_id: "...", label: "Paediatric Physiotherapy" },
    { tzw_id: "...", label: "Sports Rehabilitation" }
  ],

  // Domain tags
  domains: ["healthcare", "prevention"],

  // Location
  active_in: ["helmond", "eindhoven"]
}

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7. SBI Codes (Standard Business Classification)

CBS classification for organisations/businesses - directly usable!

Source: SBI CBS

86 - Healthcare

86.1   Hospitals and mental health/addiction care
├── 86.10.1  University medical centres
├── 86.10.2  General hospitals
├── 86.10.3  Categorical hospitals
└── 86.10.4  Mental healthcare with overnight stay

86.2   Medical and dental practices
├── 86.21    General practices
├── 86.22    Medical specialist practices
└── 86.23    Dental practices

86.9   Other healthcare
├── 86.91    Paramedical practices
│   ├── 86.91.1  Midwives
│   ├── 86.91.2  Physiotherapists
│   ├── 86.91.3  Psychotherapists, psychologists, educationalists
│   └── 86.91.9  Other paramedics (dietitians, speech therapists, etc.)
└── 86.92    Other healthcare
    ├── 86.92.1  Health centres
    ├── 86.92.2  Occupational health and reintegration
    ├── 86.92.3  Preventive healthcare
    ├── 86.92.4  Medical laboratories
    └── 86.92.5  Ambulance services

87 - Nursing/care with overnight stay

87.10    Nursing homes
87.20    Homes for intellectually disabled
87.30    Residential care homes
├── 87.30.1  Homes for non-intellectually disabled
└── 87.30.2  Residential care homes
87.90    Youth care and social shelter
├── 87.90.1  Youth care with overnight stay
└── 87.90.2  Social shelter

88 - Social services (without overnight stay)

88.10    Elderly and disabled
├── 88.10.1  Home care
├── 88.10.2  Elderly welfare work
└── 88.10.3  Disabled support

88.91    Childcare and playgroups

88.99    Other social work
├── 88.99.1  Ambulatory youth care
├── 88.99.2  Social work
├── 88.99.3  Local welfare work
└── 88.99.9  Community centres, neighbourhood work

93 - Sports and recreation

93.1     Sports
├── 93.11    Sports facilities
│   ├── 93.11.1  Swimming pools
│   ├── 93.11.2  Sports halls, gyms
│   ├── 93.11.3  Sports fields
│   └── 93.11.9  Other sports facilities
│
├── 93.12    Outdoor sports (SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS)
│   ├── 93.12.1  Football
│   ├── 93.12.2  Field sports in teams (hockey, korfball)
│   ├── 93.12.3  Athletics
│   ├── 93.12.4  Tennis
│   ├── 93.12.5  Equestrian sports, riding schools
│   ├── 93.12.6  Cycling sports
│   ├── 93.12.7  Motor sports
│   ├── 93.12.8  Winter sports
│   └── 93.12.9  Other outdoor sports
│
├── 93.13    Fitness centres
│
├── 93.14    Indoor sports
│   ├── 93.14.1  Individual indoor sports
│   ├── 93.14.2  Indoor team sports
│   ├── 93.14.3  Strength and combat sports
│   ├── 93.14.4  Bowling, billiards
│   └── 93.14.5  Mind sports (chess, draughts)
│
├── 93.15    Water sports
│
└── 93.19    Other sports
    ├── 93.19.1  Professional athletes
    ├── 93.19.2  Angling
    └── 93.19.5  Organising sports events

Mapping GezondHelmond categories → SBI

GezondHelmond	SBI Code
General practitioners	86.21
Pharmacies	47.73
Physiotherapists	86.91.2
Dietitians	86.91.9
Psychologist/psychology practice	86.91.3
Lifestyle coaches	86.92.3 or 88.99.9
Sports associations	93.12.x
Gyms	93.13
Community centres	88.99.9
Social organisations	88.99.2
Hospitals	86.10.x
Medical centre	86.92.1
Podiatrists	86.91.9
Care organisation	87.x or 88.x

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8. National Terminology Server (NTS)

FHIR-compatible terminology API from Nictiz

Property	Value
Technology	Ontoserver (CSIRO)
API	FHIR R4 compatible
Hosting	Dedalus
Cost	Free (account required)

Available terminologies

• SNOMED CT
• Dutch Lab Code Set
• LOINC + UCUM
• ICD-10
• ICF
• NHG tables (incl. ICPC)
• ART-DECOR ValueSets
• HPO (Human Phenotype Ontology)
• HGNC (Hugo Gene Nomenclature)

API Features

FHIR Operations:
- $lookup   (look up term)
- $expand   (expand valueset)
- $validate (validate code)
- $translate (map code)

Gaining access

1. Create account via Nictiz manual
2. Authentication via Keycloak
3. API URL provided after registration

Resources

• GitHub: terminologieserver
  • postman_voorbeelden - FHIR API examples
  • ontoserver_authentication_examples - Auth examples (Python)
• Contact: terminologie@nictiz.nl
• Manual: NTS Manual

Note

TZW (Thesaurus Zorg en Welzijn) is NOT in NTS - request separately from Nictiz.

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9. Summary: What to do for Gezondland

Directly usable (free)

1. SBI codes - Organisation classification (complete hierarchy above)
2. ISCO-08 - Occupational classification (complete list available)
3. NTS Account - Free account for SNOMED, LOINC, etc.

To request from Nictiz

1. TZW SKOS/XML file - Email to tzw@nictiz.nl
2. NTS API credentials - Via manual

Classification overview

What to classify	Standard	Example
Organisations	SBI	Sports association = 93.12.x
Professions/persons	ISCO-08	Physiotherapist = 2264
Medical codes	SNOMED/ICD-10	Via NTS
Concepts/terms	TZW	55,000 terms

Recommended approach

1. Map GezondHelmond categories to SBI codes (to do now)
2. Add ISCO-08 codes for professionals
3. Request TZW for concepts/synonyms
4. Create NTS account for medical codes (SNOMED, ICD-10)

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Research conducted: 2025-12-13 Sources: Nictiz, CBS, ILO, ESCO, Sociale Kaart Nederland, CSIRO Ontoserver