"The QUALICOPC study aims to comprehensively evaluate primary care systems in Europe against criteria of quality, equity and costs. The study will provide an answer to the question what strong primary care systems entail and which effects strong primary care systems have on the performance of overall health care systems. The study will collect data in 32 countries in Europe by means of two surveys: one among general practitioners and another among users of patients in primary care. In addition, the study will use external data sources, such as: the System of Health Accounts (developed by Eurostat and OECD); the Health Care Quality Indicators Project (by OECD) and the PHAMEU data base (a product of a EU DG Sanco funded European project). The consortium for QUALICOPC represents all the expertise needed for this ambitious study, including links to the external data sources. The networks of the consortium members safeguard an effective dissemination of the study results to the research community, policy makers and other stakeholders in the European health sector. He dissemination strategy includes: the publication of articles in scientific and professional journals; publication of news and other project related information at the website; production of a book and policy briefs; presentations at policy meetings and conferences; and the organisation of a final conference. By its innovative design, in which different data sources are combined for comprehensive analyses, QUALICOPC will advance the state of the art in primary care research and contribute to the body of knowledge. This is both a scientific achievement and a contribution to evidence based health policy development in Europe."