Table 1 Description of study areas

	Baix Empordà region	City of Girona	Ciutat Vella of Barcelona
Population^a	74,144	83,312	99,093
Location	Rural and semi-urban	Urban	Urban
Primary care providers
Number of basic health zones	4	4	5
Managing entity/entities	SSIBE	ICS	ICS (4 zones) PAMEM (1 zone)
Secondary care providers
Number of hospitals	1	1	1
Managing entity	SSIBE	ICS	PSMAR
Information system	Single shared EMR system	Two shared EMR systems	Two EMR systems; not shared (ICS with PSMAR) and shared (PAMEM with PSMAR)

^aPopulation ≥ 18 years of age; Source: Registro Central de Asegurados 2010 [62]
EMR electronic medical records, ICS Institut Català de la Salut, PAMEM Institut de Prestacions d’Assistència Mèdica al Personal Municipal, PSMAR Parc de Salut Mar, SSIBE Serveis de Salut Integrats Baix Empordà

ISSN: 1472-6963