The International Conference on Telemedicine Integration of Health Telematics into Medical Practice in Regensburg, Germany September 22nd-25th, 2002 especially addresses four main focus areas which are among the most central issues in information and communication technology for health care today

These thematic complexes will be presented and discussed in-depth during the conference

Telematics Benefits in Health Care Management

e-health provides an excellent means for positioning health care providers in the global health market. The diverse European health markets open up, move closer together, and grow significantly; for example in Germany health is the largest single sector in economy, providing opportunities for new successful business models. Efficiency can be increased by introducing modern information flows. Disease management programs for example can result in workflow improvements and positive cost-effects. An important advantage in competition will become security aspects which will be essential to leverage the patient’s level of trust.

Effective Application of Telematics in Medicine and Nursing

Application of information and communication technologies in health care enable new ways of involvement between health care professionals and patients.  Yet unimagined interdisciplinary decision finding methods and treatment strategies become possible. Managed care is strongly facilitated by disease management concepts, unlimited access to expert knowledge, computer assisted diagnosis, vital sign detection and transmission, home monitoring, and telecare.  Complementing technology applications in care are educational uses for professionals and patients like teleteaching and telelearning, computer-based instruction, and IT-supported training

e-Services for Patients and Public

In the information technology era the informed patient evolves through the scarcely reflected use of the tremendous, though in terms of quality varying, offerings of the internet. The role of health care professionals changes rapidly with the spread of the insight that patient empowerment must be actively driven, and may not just be passively endured. Patient information concerning diseases, therapies, medication, quality standards, and health care service providers will be supplemented by services like personalized, certified, and professional health advice, and e-prescription or virtual pharmacies. With the introduction of guided Patient-to-Patient (P2P) offers the patient will become co-producer of his own health

Health Telematics Technologies: The Road Ahead

Exciting technologies currently emerge, offering new perspectives for health care delivery. A new level of mobility is reached by the upcoming Third Generation Wireless Communication Networks (3G, UMTS), Body Area Networks (BAN) enabling new ways of vital sign detection and transmission, as well as powerful mobile computing devices. Thus, highly efficient knowledge management and data warehousing like the use of PACS and hospital information systems become easily accessible anytime, anywhere. Open standards for communication, interoperability, and security provide the opportunity for trustworthy co-operation. These include for example software interfaces, XML standards, encryption and authentication, biometric identification, and health cards among others.  Furthermore, new dimensions of perception and expression will become possible through innovative man-machine interfaces using the olfactory and tactile channels and more.  Information and communication technologies use can become a common tool for all health care professionals and patients. Health telematics applications could be as natural as stethoscope and telephone nowadays

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