BackgroundInternet technology is transforming the general approach to communication and dissemination of information in the field of healthcare. However, it is also creating problems in terms of finding information, and knowing what credibility to place on the information found. The chaotic nature of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the simplistic approach adopted by search engines can make the task of finding relevant information difficult, and the user can waste considerable amounts of time on the process. Even when information is found, there is no general quality assurance process that can guarantee the credibility of the resulting information.ObjectiveThe aim of this research was to develop an approach for establishing co-operative health information networks (CHINs) with different focuses, which can be used in different parts of Europe. The resulting CHINs would provide organised healthcare information and support comprehensive and integrated sets of healthcare telematic services for a broad range of users. Such developments would reduce the difficulties of finding information and knowing what credibility to ascribe to it.MethodsA common approach has been developed based on drawing together contributions from the major healthcare service providers in the region. Standard structures are recommended so that information is presented in a uniform way. Appropriate mechanisms ensure adequate security and a level of quality assurance for the end user.ResultsSince 1996, CHINs have been developed in six European countries as part of a European Union (EU) project. This paper presents the overall approach adopted, and the achievements in two different regions of Europe (Greece and Scotland). Although the circumstances in these two regions are very different, in both cases the resulting CHIN has proved successful.ConclusionsCHINs offer a solution to the difficulty of finding relevant health information on the Internet and guaranteeing its credibility. They can be used in different ways in different regions, and have major benefits for both information providers and end users.
Collaboration is a key requirement in several contemporary interventional radiology procedures (IRPs). This work proposes a multicast hybrid satellite system capable of supporting advanced IRP collaboration, and evaluates its feasibility and applicability. Following a detailed IRP requirements study, we have developed a system which supports IRP collaboration through the employment of a hybrid satellite-terrestrial network, a prototype multicast version of wavelet based interactive communication system (WinVicos) application, and a partition aggregation and conditional coding (PACC) wavelet codec. A semistructured questionnaire was also used to receive evaluative feedback from collaborating participants. The departments of interventional radiology of University Hospital of Patras, Greece and of Charite Hospital of Berlin, Germany have been connected on the system. Eight interventional radiologists and a vascular surgeon participated periodically in three satellite-terrestrial "fully collaborative" IRPs (average time 90 min) of high complexity and in four terrestrial educational sessions with great success, evidenced by considerable improving the IRP outcomes (clinical and educational). In case of high complexity, where the simultaneous presence of remote interventional expert and/or surgeon is required, advanced collaboration among staff of geographically dispersed international centers is feasible via integration of existing networking and other technologies.
The present chapter investigates the emerging paradigm of cultural heritage experience, as shaped by the continuous advances in information technologies. Recent years have seen the growing digitisation of cultural heritage, leveraged by innovative information technologies (imaging technologies, multimedia, virtual reality etc.). Advanced digitisation, and digital preservation and accessibility have been instrumental in transforming conservation and scientific research methods in the field of cultural heritage, as well as people’s experience of cultural heritage assets, relics, and monuments. Digitisation and immersion technologies are already in use in the context of cultural tourism in museums and on location. At the same time, a manifold of new applications and services can be generated from the adoption and adaptation of relevant technologies already applied in other sectors (e.g. 2D/3D digital scanning technologies applied in the construction industry). The present chapter will provide a thorough review of relevant digital technologies and existing work in the field, highlighting important research efforts and achievements; and will discuss the current challenges and promising avenues for future work. Following a literature review methodology, our research will provide a critical appraisal of carefully selected work from recent scientific literature and contribute to the systematisation of the current knowledge in the field towards the identification of key challenges and the extraction of new insights in terms of potential for practical applications and future research directions in the area.
Abstract. The demand for modernizing government to the benefit of the citizens calls for new approaches to traditional practices. The use of technology in government can enhance the access to and the delivery of public services, thus improving the overall efficiency of government. Online joined-up government refers to the integration of public services from a customer of public services' point of view. In line with this "consumer-centric" approach, the principal objective of a one-stop government portal is to facilitate seamless access to integrated services that are shaped around everyday life episodes and business situations and comprise service offerings from several public entities. The implementation of e-Government involves not only a profound transformation in the way government interacts with the governed but also the reinvention of its internal processes and organisation. Back-office interconnection and interoperability are key enablers.
IntroductionThe co-operative health information network (CHIN) was developed during the last three years in eight regions of six European countries: Finland, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden and UK (Scotland). In Greece, the CHIN project is managed by the National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos'. The main objective of the CHIN project was to establish a network of regional Co-operative Health Information Networks (CHINs) to support comprehensive and integrated sets of health care telematic services for a broad range of users.MethodsCHIN provides on-line services for professional and public access. Services for professional access support various working scenarios between hospital staff and doctors in practices outside the hospitals such as remote access to multimedia patient records, quality control for screening results, referrals and resource planning. Services for public access include web-based regional healthcare resource directories (a presentation platform for regional healthcare service providers) on-line consultation and information for health education. Technically, CHIN favourites standardised, simple, open and scaleable solutions for computer and networking technologies (ISDN based Intranets, HTTP) and for the medical applications (DICOM, HL7). Users access the patient records via a standard Web interface.ResultsThe Greek resource directory provides bilingual (Greek/English) information that includes: a pilot presentation of a disease (diabetes) focusing on education of children, the largest on-line presentation on the Greek National health system (in Greek only), exclusive lists of all hospitals in Greece, and information on medicine and telemedicine in Greece. Furthermore, two applications have been developed for professionals. The first is an application that runs on a network interconnecting a hospital with a healthcare center and allows the electronic exchange of medical results. The second is the installation and pilot used of a PACS system (DxMM by Medasys) and a Web-based system to access virtual patient records (WebMed by GMD).DiscussionThe Greek CHIN server is one of the largest health-related Web sites in Greece. The ultimate goal is to establish this site as the entry point for Internet users looking for health-related information about Greece. For this purpose, a number of activities have been initiated. For example, collaborations with other health-care related sites, such as the one developed by the ministry of Health and Welfare, are pursued. Also, Web sites are developed and included in the CHIN server free of charge for any Greek hospital and health care center that wishes to participate in this effort. In terms of professional services, the goal in to establish a slide-less hospital, meaning that images of patients from various modalities along with diagnostic reports would be electronically available in all department within a hospital.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.