bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Evaluation of System Integration
Authors: Brender Jytte  , Talmon Jan  , Nykänen Pirkko  , McNair Peter  , Demeester Michel  , Beuscart Régis
Published: February 2025

More and more emphasis is put in the workplans of the EU to validate and assess information technologies. Several projects are established to show the validity of the prototypes developed in various AIM projects. ISAR is one of those projects, aiming at the integration of six AIM prototypes in the University Hospital environment in Lille, France. In this contribution we describe the evaluation methodology for integration projects that has been developed and is applied in the ISAR. We describe the methodology for the evaluation of KBS and the quality assessment framework – both developed in the KAVAS and KAVAS-2 projects of AIM – on which the evaluation methodology for integration processes was based. We also identify some practical aspects of assessment of the integration of individual prototypes as well as of the overall integration process.
Technology Assessment in the EurIpacs Project
Authors: Wein Berthold  , Enning John  , Van Gennip Elizabeth
Published: February 2025

The objective of the project EurIpacs is “to create and implement a second generation PACS, proving that it can be applied widely in Europe”. This project involves 24 partners from all over Europe and covers a wide area of research, development and implementation of hard- and software in Hospitals to show the functionality and the feasibility of PACS in a clinical environment. One of the topics in EurIpacs is TEASS, which analyzes costs and benefits of prototype PACSystems in three different clinical settings in a pre-post measurement approach. The aim of TEASS is to produce guidelines for cost-effective implementation of PACS. Moreover TEASS has produced a PC-software package to support cost analysis. This paper describes the methodological approach which is developed in TEASS to assess costs and benefits of PACS. Example results for one of the three clinical sites (the Aachen University Hospital) are shown.
Assessment of Workstations and PACS in AIM: The Experience of the MILORD Project
Authors: Consorti Fabrizio
Published: February 2025

The basic idea from which we started was to test the possibility of improving the quality of health care by the use of a MILORD system. The framework and the set of specific indicators and methods for a clinical evaluation used in the MILORD project is described, both in terms of outcome and process indicators. The implication and the experience of the main testing site is reported. Finally a short discussion on the methodology of evaluation is provided, highlighting the importance of considering the activity of assessment with the same criteria for a scientific experimental activity.
Measuring Effects
Authors: Jørgensen Torben
Published: February 2025

Technology assessment of information technology imply comprehensive evaluation of consequences in technical, organizational, economic, and other domains. Which effect measures to choose depends on the type of technology and the objective of the assessment. This contribution illustrates by examples the variety of aspects to consider included.
Virtual Reality Technology Applied to Anesthesiology
Authors: McDonald John S.  , Rosenberg Louis B.  , Stredney Don
Published: February 2025

This paper presents an overview of an ongoing collaborative effort between researchers at The Ohio State University Hospitals, Immersion Corporation , and the Ohio Supercomputer Center to create and test a virtual simulator for training residents in the use of regional anesthesiology. Specific issues and difficulties of the epidural technique are used to develop a pilot system. We present our design and methodology, as well as considerations for system integration and design iteration. By providing a new form of procedural training in a nonthreatening environment, the simulator will increase the proficiency level of the resident in technique delivery and improve competency required for live human trials.
The Virtual Hospital
Authors: Meyer David M.  , Meyer Eric S.  , Meyer Jonathan I.  , Meyer Stuart L.
Published: February 2025

We review some early efforts, designs, and technologies in the late 1970s used to plan a network of primary and secondary facilities linking up with a tertiary care center electronically and organizationally. Also reviewed are related efforts of the same period involving distance learning in remote villages in Alaska and providing training, emergency medicine, and social services at Cook County Jail in Chicago. Commercial development of teleradiology, and some procedural and organizational consequences, dating from the same period through the present, are covered as well.
Planning of Orthopaedic Surgery in Virtual Environments by the Example of Osteotomy Operations
Authors: Bauer W.  , Bullinger H.J.  , Hinkenjann A.  , Riedel O.
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the possibilities of Virtual Environments in the field of orthopaedic surgical planning. The example of osteotomy operations is discussed in detail. Traditionally, planning in orthopaedics is carried out in 2D, which means that a surgeon may draw directly onto an X-Ray, thus neglecting the third dimension totally. The IAO, together with the Orthopaedic University Clinic Heidelberg (OUK), has developed an application for the planning of osteotomy operations. The surgeon, with the aid of tracked shutter-glasses and a 6D input device, is able to view and rotate the femur and the hip joint. The user can view a simulated X-Ray of the bones, determine the 2D-CCD angle, and allow the computer to perform the osteotomy automatically. The user is also able to view a section through the hip joint and thus offer an opinion on the gap in the joint. After entering the relevant angles and height for the osteotomy, the computer carries out the simulation and displays all the data on the screen.
A Stereotactic and Robotic System for Pedicle Screw Placement
Authors: Munne Julio J. Santos  , Peshkin Michael A.  , Mirkovic Srdjan  , Stulberg S. David  , Kienzle III Thomas C.
Published: February 2025

We are developing a robotic system to assist a surgeon in placing spinal pedicle screws. While several groups have undertaken such systems, our approach differs in that it endeavors to remain as close to current clinical technique as possible, yet achieve stereotactic accuracy.
Force Feedback Issues in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Authors: Sukthankar Sujat M.  , Reddy Narender P.
Published: February 2025

There are conflicting views on the need for force and tactile feedback enhancements to laparoscopic tools. The very nature of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) procedures, removes the surgeon from the site of the surgery. This tends to limit the “feel” of tissue, which is a major characteristic of invasive surgical procedures. In MIS procedures, the surgeons primarily rely on visual cues provided by means of an endoscopie camera system to manipulate objects at the end effector. The question here is whether the loss of “feel” is detrimental to surgical quality. The development of telepresence systems for MIS has created a special need to understand force feedback and related man-machine interface issues. In this study, we present an objective methodology that can provide information about the interplay between user exerted and end-effector forces in laparoscopic tools. The experimental results revealed that there exists a non-linear relationship between the end-effector and the handle forces. It was also found that this relationship depends on the mechanical properties of the object squeezed at the end-effector. The PFC and EC coefficients were found to be significantly different for soft, medium, and hard materials.
Analysis for an Optimization of Stereoscopic Visualization Systems for Clinical Routine
Authors: von Pichler Cletus  , Radermacher Klaus  , Rau Günter
Published: February 2025

For an optimization of clinical 3D video endoscopic systems an analysis of the influence of isolated technical, optical and physiological parameters on spatial perception of users of stereoscopic visualisation systems is necessary. To describe the involved effects and their interdependencies we used computer based simulation techniques, regarding the specific requirements of clinical application. For a comparison of the model simulation and real conditions within the operating theatre we use medical and ergonomic analysing methods. In this paper the concepts of the studies, methods and analysis procedures as well as the investigations itself will be presented. The results and further reaching experiments will be discussed.
Making the Most of a Hospital Information System: A Nigerian Case
Authors: Makanjuola R.O.A.  , Korpela M.  , Soriyan H.A.  , Adekunle M.A.
Published: February 2025

Informatics and telematics technologies are today successfully applied in many ways in health care in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, most of the use is based on standard packages - text processing, statistics packages, CD-ROM literature data bases, etc. There is a dearth of appropriate systems for management and planning, and little experience on how to benefit from such systems. In this paper we present an operational Hospital Information System, and discuss how the information in it can best be used.
DIABCARD: A Smart Card for Patients with Chronic Diseases
Authors: Engelbrecht R.  , Hildebrand C.  , Jung E.  , Brenner G.  , Corcoy R.  , Hirsch S.  , Gapp C.  , Klepser G.  , de Leiva A.  , Massi-Benedetti M.  , Mechtler R.  , Piwernetz K.  , Sembritzki J.  , Thiery J.
Published: February 2025

DIABCARD has developed the specification for the core of a Chip Card Based Medical Information System (CCMIS) for chronic diseases in ambulatory and hospital care. Diabetes was chosen as a typical chronic disease. A common European basic diabetes data set based on approved data sets was produced and validated. A demonstrator and a videotape showing key situations in the life of a patient with diabetes demonstrate the functionality of the chip card. Some acceptance studies have taken place. Small scale field are scheduled for this year. At the present stage specific functions deduced from the requirement analysis are being implemented into a prototype. DIABCARD will provide an instrument for assessing health care services, promote the links between health care providers and set up communication between the different levels of health care. It will thus improve the quality of care and the life of patients with chronic diseases.
Introduction to Project Line 3. Decision Support, Primary Care and Resource Management
Authors: Barahona Pedro
Published: February 2025

A number of decision support tools are already in place in many clinical environments and their utilisation is expected to grow steadily with the development of Health Telematics. The importance of knowledge based decision support in Health Telematics is well demonstrated by the number of projects that included this component and that sought support and were supported by the AIM Programme. This papers summarises the work done in the project line on Decision Support of this programme as well as the work done in a number of parallel actions regarding Decision Support in more specialised contexts of Primary Care and Resource Management.
KAVAS: Knowledge Acquisition, Visualization and Assessment System
Authors: Talmon Jan L.  , McNair Peter
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the motivation for and the objectives and results of the KAVAS-2 project. An overview is given of the tools and methodologies that are developed as well as of how these results have been utilized so far. It is our conclusion that the work done in KAVAS-2 provides a solid basis for the development and demonstration of concrete applications in the 4th Framework Programme.
IREP: Integrated Rehabilitation Programmes
Authors: Copelli Sergio
Published: February 2025

AIM 2018 IREP (Integrated Rehabilitation Programmes) was a two years project primarily directed to area II.9 of the AIM workplan, “Technologies and Services for the Handicapped and Elderly”. It aimed at the creation of a European Information System to contribute to the modernisation and organization of the Rehabilitation field. The following organizations have been part of the IREP Consortium: Datamont SpA, R&S Informatica, KOS Europa, Eastern Health and Social Services Board, Database Informatica Spa, Ospedale Bambin Gesù, Ospedale Specializzato Malpighi, Montecatone, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - ITBM, Epsilon Software, Sismanoglio Hospital, ELEA, INESC, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Telesystemes Innovation, CNRS - Pole Rhones-Alpes de Genie Biologique et Medical, Centre de Massues A. Bonjean, C.H.U. La Timone Enfants, National Agency for Welfare and Health.
MOBICARE: Strategy Definition for Promoting Mobile Health Care Telematic Services in Europe
Authors: Martín Espinosa José Manuel  , del Río Vega Miguel Angel
Published: February 2025

MOBICARE is oriented to promote the use of telematics on health care emergency systems in order to improve its efficiency on every aspect (economical, attention to the patient, reliability, etc...). MOBICARE involves the cooperation between two different fields (mobile communications and health care) proposing to improve the quality of the service offered by emergency units using facilities provided by telecommunications. MOBICARE proposes the use of a pan-european communications standard (TETRA - Trans European Trunked Radio Systems) as the most effective and convenient to implement the telecommunication network due to it is mainly oriented to fleet management. Results from the project are oriented to define strategic actions to solve any possible problem for a future implementation, as well as the technological, financial and economical guidelines to do it. All these results will be disseminated on the fields affected, these are health care and telecommunications, by distribution and relationships established by the participants into the project and mainly by the celebration of a conference to show the project results, which will take place at the end of the activities.
Plenary III: North-South Interactions
Authors: Sousa Pereira A.  , Iakovidis Ilias  , Pedersen Steinar  , Moniz Pereira L.  , Pratas Peres A.  , Pires Veiga  , Ramos Fernando  , Pacheco da Rocha N.
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the demonstrations that were held on Plenary III involving Portuguese and Norwegian health units. The session was organized in two modules. In the first one telematic demonstrations developed in Portugal focused in the areas of medical imaging and support to the disabled were presented. In the second module Norwegian telematic systems were presented, being the scenarios a remote consultation in Otorhinolaryngology and a cardiac ultrasound examination.
Telemedicine: A Telecommunications Operator's Perspective
Authors: Smith David C.
Published: February 2025

Digital telecommunications services now allow audio-visual services allowing remote diagnosis, exchange of data, radiological images and specialist knowledge in general. Monopolies, patchy implementation of EU liberalisation and regulatory asymmetry threaten to delay the arrival of competition in the sector, and hence its beneficial effects on prices, innovation and customer choice.
Medical Informatics at Manchester: Science and Story
Authors: KAY S.
Published: February 2025

This paper recounts the succession of events which brought the B.Sc. degree of Medical Informatics into being at the University of Manchester. The arrangement and selection of material for presentation here emphasises the issues raised and the problems encountered in creating and delivering such a course. The present aim, structure and content of the degree are also described in the context of educational and health reform in the UK.
Education and Training of clinical research, health economics and quality of care by patient record analysis
Authors: ROGER FRANCE F.H.
Published: February 2025

In Belgium, the initiative of the Ministry of Public Health to develop new “patient-based” hospital management systems, using a selection of relevant medical and resource data (medical, nursing and financial record summaries), to be coded uniformly, gave an exceptional opportunity to the Centre for Medical Informatics at the University of Louvain, not only to develop and test the tools locally, but also to disseminate them. Research and teaching units in a University are rarely exposed to design and implement training programmes and methodologie courses to be used by a large variety of categories of personnel, as well as by all hospitals in a country. The ICD-9-CM coding system was translated and extended. Coding rules were published and taught to medical record analysts and physicians, before being inserted in computer aided systems. Courses and degrees were created at the Faculty of Medicine, for data interpretation and patient management (biomedical informatics, clinical research, quality of care development, hospital management, decision making). New experiences are in progress such as knowledge based decision support to define choices for hospital strategies (Saint-Luc 2000 project). Foreign countries have also access to this educative programme.
Health Cards and Right of Privacy
Authors: Giesen T.
Published: February 2025

Many parties are involved in the health business: The family doctor, specialists and their assistants, hospital administration, billing institutions and public and private social insurance suppliers. All these parties are struggeling against the customer’s disease while competing for shares of the market at the same time. Information about patients are protected by law worldwide. This arcabun (the confidentiality of medical data) is socially accepted and guarrantees the protection of the patient’s privacy. At the same time it is guaranteed that personal data about patients are not abused in the power struggle in the health market. The use of smart cards can be a threat to the privacy of patients, thus violating the arcanum.
Percorso Nascita: From Pregnancy to Delivery
Authors: Serpieri A.  , Natale N.  , Galluzzi A.  , Greppi P.  , Telloli P.  , Sicurello F.
Published: February 2025

The monitoring system of physiological pregnancy, called ‘Percorso Nascita’ is a completely new method to follow the course of a pregnancy, its physiological state, and to detect the first symptoms of pathological deviations by means of an EHC (Electronic Health Card) containing about 1200 parameters. All the data collected can be read, displayed in the form of a medical card and, if necessary, printed in the Delivery Room. In the near future a risk evaluation module will be implemented.
The Citizen Data Card Project: An Integrated Health and Administrative Data Storage System Using Cards
Authors: Russo P.  , Ventriglia E.
Published: February 2025

The use of patient data card as Portable Patient Medical Record has been largely discussed among the different bodies of the Ministry of Health that have to decide on this subject. It is largely recognised that efficient use of health care data is one of key conditions to improving quality of care and reducing the cost of health care provisions. Cards and telematics are both tools to integrate optimally the global entity of medical information related to a patient. The project ‘Casagiove 3500: Citizen Data Card’ was designed to experiment in a small town (Casagiove - CE - 16.000 inhabit.), the introduction of a modern technology, the laser card with the double function of Health Data Card and Citizen Data Card. The project follows three main directions:
Working Group: Health Professional Cards
Authors: Rienhoff O.  , Büttner H.-G.  , Debold P.  , Diener F.  , Ernestus W.  , Farroukh H.  , Hornung B.  , Netz V.  , Reith A.  , Reimer H.  , Struif B.
Published: February 2025

Several R & D projects including some patient card application have been studying and testing various forms of so-called professional cards. In addition, international contacts were established through various European R & D projects as well as between German and French physician-groups. Early in 1995, it was decided to set up a task force to harmonize the various approaches. Later this year, a feasibility test will be implemented in close cooperation with several regional projects and the European TRUSTHEALTH consortium.
Contributions of an IC-Manufacturer to Chip card-Projects in Health Service Applications
Authors: Schlegelmilch G.
Published: February 2025

The integrated circuit is the core of thé chip card technology. Data storage, data protection and data processing are made possible by memories and miocrocontrollers in projects of health service applications. The specific requirements in these projects. e.g. efficient handling of health information in combination with protection against misuse, are supported by chip card ICs. The IC manufacturer is asked to offer a technology concept putting the requirements into silicon. The concept integrates security and privacy.
Security of the Optical Memory Card
Authors: Ichikawa K.
Published: February 2025

The security of the personal health data is always a serious problem in the medical field. It has generally been said that the Optical Memory Card (OMC) has low security. It is right that the OMC has no security system inside itself, but it can have security as a whole system security by help of the firmware and the software. In an application, the Driver for the OMC, and the Reader-Writer could append security system on the OMC. In addition, a Hybrid Card, an OMC with an IC chip including the CPU, would bring higher security on it. By applying the security system on the IC chip to the management of the data on the optical part, the data would be firmly protected.
Introducing Smart cards in Health Care in the Netherlands
Authors: van den Broek L.
Published: February 2025

New technologies may contribute to innovation and improvement of quality of healthcare. A necessary condition to achieve this objective is good relationships between all parties involved: health care providers, health care institutions and health care insurance companies. Public Health Care Insurance Company DSW, a regionally based healthcare insurer, was the first insurer to provide their insured with a smart card for health care in the Netherlands. The Delft project proves that a smart card facilitates the linking up of activities of the various participants. As a result the quality of care improves, while at the same time administrative procedures and the financial settlement of transactions are simplified. The presentation will give a historic overview and the present status of the project. Also, plans for the near future will be mentioned. The motives and objectives of the different participants will be summarized. Finally, a list of data on the smart card is given.
The Situation of Health Cards in Belgium
Authors: Dieng D.
Published: February 2025

Actually, the Belgian Health card projects are rare and are “private” initiatives until a few months ago politics seemed not to be very concerned with these projects (no interest? not enough information?) but this is changing slowly. The media coverage of the different Belgiam projects, the German model made them wake up.
The Western Governors’ Association - Health Passport Project
Authors: Schafer E. T.
Published: February 2025

The Health Passport Project is the first regional effort in the United States to look at how card technology can bring greater efficiency to the management of public health and the delivery of health care. The impetus for the project was a widely-expressed desire among public and private health care providers in the western United States to harness technology to make information - whether demographic, clinical, or financial - more readily available in a costeffective, secure, and reliable manner. In response, the Western Governors Association established a pioneering partnership among western states, federal agencies, and the private sector to develop an electronic health card that can bridge information gaps that now exist between clinics, hospitals, physicians, and health departments. These information gaps compel providers and programs, which frequently serve a common population and have similar information needs, to spend time and money collecting the same information independently, repetitively, and often times, inaccurately. The Health Passport will provide a near-term bridge for these gaps, and in the longer run will be a strategic access key for critical information resident on the card or in on-line networks. An intensive eleven-month feasibility study found that Health Passport concept is viable - technically, economically, and organizationally. The recommended technology is a smart card with a magnetic stripe on the reverse. The magnetic stripe will enable the card to connect easily to existing systems and card-reading equipment. The smart card will provide portable computing capability and maximum security, and will ensure convergence with financial and retail industry plans for a universal transition to smart cards by the year 2000. It will also operate from common software and industry standards. This approach is expected to bring cost-saving coordination among public and private health care professionals, while placing individuals firmly in control of the information on the card. Field demonstrations are now planned to support more precise cost-benefit analyses and test if an electronic health card will be embraced by doctors, patients, and program staff on the ground in the United States.
Data Protection And Security Within TANIT
Authors: Corbeel Louis J.  , Corbeel Isabelle L.  , Hortmann Michael
Published: February 2025

The word “TANIT” means “Telematics for ANaesthesia and Intensive Therapy”. The objective of the TANIT project is to develop information and telematic systems in critical care environments that are integrated in the hospital information space. The goal is to produce an integrated European reference computer for Critical Care Environments (CCE). For this purpose, TANIT is developing methods and guidelines for the design, implementation, introduction and evaluation of systems, successful patient data management, medical/nursing activities, clinical audit, and departmental management for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. In this context, the task of Workpackage PROTEC -Data Protection, Security and Confidentiality- was to develop confidentiality rules for personal and management data which arise in a CCE context, and at the same time to establish procedures that will allow medical personnel all data access needed for successful treatment of their patients. Furthermore, PROTEC proposed technical methods to protect sensitive data in the computerized records.
The Virtual Aneurysm
Authors: Harreld Michael R.  , Valentino Daniel J.  , Karplus Walter J.
Published: February 2025

Image guided therapies, such as new endovascular procedures for treating brain aneurysms are now in clinical use. To plan these procedures, physicians currently use angiography to view projectional images of anatomy and blood flow. There are currently no available tools for visualizing the details of complex blood flow or predicting the effects of specific treatments. To address this problem, we have created a virtual environment for the visualization of blood flow and the simulated effects of therapy in brain aneurysms. The “Virtual Aneurysm” is composed using a combination of image processing, flow simulation, scientific visualization, and virtual reality techniques.
Applied Virtual Reality for Simulation of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio—Pancreatography (ERCP)
Authors: Peifer John W.  , David Curtis W.  , Sinclair Michael J.
Published: February 2025

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Medical College of Georgia (GIT/MCG) have developed an interactive computer simulation of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP). ERCP is a minimally invasive technique for evaluating and treating pathologic conditions of the biliary and pancreatic ducts. While ERCP provides the patient with substantial advantages over traditional methods, ERCP requires advanced skills and extensive experience to minimize the risk of complications. Computer simulation offers many advantages for efficiently and safely training physicians in ERCP. The GIT/MCG proof of concept simulation provides realistic training with both visual and force feedback while an endoscopist practices the ERCP procedure.
Stereoscopic Visualization System for Clinical Angiography
Authors: Sekiguchi Ryuzo  , Satake Mitsuo  , Oyama Hiroshi  , Wakao Fumihiko  , Moriyama Noriyuki
Published: February 2025

Four dimensional visualization (FDV) project for clinical angiography has started at National Cancer Center since 1995 in cooperation with medical virtual reality projects in our center. All stereo pair of x-ray angiographic images, both digital images and film based conventional x-ray images, are available in this system. FDV system software was developed on a Silicon Graphics platform. Every stereo pair angiographic images can be viewed stereoscopically using a stereoscopic visualization interface. Series of image data sets provide three dimensional blood flow dynamics that is very useful to diagnose vascular encasement by the tumor and to determine vessel of purpose which locates in front or in back from superimposed angiographic images.
USING DIFFERENTIAL FEATURES TO SEGMENT SURFACES IN QUADRATIC PATCHES, IN 3-D VOLUME IMAGES
Authors: Bricault Ivan  , Monga Olivier
Published: February 2025

We show how to extract reliable informations about the shape of 3-D objects, obtained from volume medical images. We present an optimal region-growing strategy, that makes use of the differential characteristics of the object surface, and achieves a stable segmentation into a set of patches of quadratic surfaces. We show how this segmentation can be used to recognize and locate a target sub-structure on a global anatomic structure.
Introduction to the SEISMED Guidelines
Authors: Bleumer G.
Published: February 2025

The efficiency of modern health care relies more and more upon a computerised infrastructure. Open distributed information systems have started to bring professionals together from all over the world. On the one hand easy processing and communication of images, sounds and texts will help to represent and treat illnesses and diseases efficiently, on the other hand the very ease of access and use can threaten patient privacy, accountability and health care professional secrecy. The European Union (ED) initiated a multi-disciplinary project to come up with practical guidelines detailing how to achieve a Secure Environment for Information Systems in MEDicine (SEISMED). The project has taken into account the traditional and proven principles of health care data processing, the various legislative environments within the EU, the enormous and subtle risks to the security of health care information systems, and the cost of changing existing technology. The guidelines have been validated by the SEISMED reference centres.
Baseline Security Guidelines for Health Care Management
Authors: Sanders P.  , Furnell S.  , Warren M.
Published: February 2025

The overall objective of the SEISMED (a Secure Environment for Information Systems in MEDicine) project was to develop a consistent, harmonised framework for the protection of medical data throughout Europe. This document presents guidelines for the security of existing European health care systems based upon work conducted by SEISMED workpackage SP07 (Security in Existing Systems).
A Possible Concept for an Interactive 3D Visualization System for Training and Planning of Liver Surgery
Authors: Darvann Tron  , Bro-Nielsen Morten  , Damgaard Karen  , Dobrzeniecki Andy B.  , Knigge Ulrich  , Larsen Per  , Nasr Shahram  , Svendsen Lars Bo
Published: February 2025

A demonstration of a fully interactive (20 frames per second) 3D graphics display of the blood vessels supporting the biliary tree and bileduct, automatically segmented from CT data, is given. Emphasis is on speed of interaction, modularity and programmer-friendliness of graphics programming environment, use of standard, medium- resolution CT data, and the usefulness in pre-operative guidance in connection with liver resectioning for removal of tumours/metastases
The PROMPT Electronic Health Care Record
Authors: Lagouarde Philippe  , Thomson Richard  , Renaud-salis Jean-Louis  , Ferguson Paul  , Hajnal Saki  , Robles Pierre
Published: February 2025

This paper accompanies the demonstration at MIE’96 of PromptPR, a PCbased, multimedia, object-oriented electronic patient record system. It was developed (as EdithPR) at the Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux within the EC Health Telematics DILEMMA project (1992-5). Although built initially for use in the field of hospital cancer care, its general design will enable it to be used by all health care professionals working in different clinical specialties, to support a full range of clinical activities from recording, managing and displaying data to prescribing and managing patient careplans. This paper provides an overview of PromptPR, its functionality and architecture, and summarises a number of the activities which have been planned to evaluate its clinical impact.
Towards a new generation of PACS-systems
Authors: Benschop Wilbert  , van Geuns Rob. A.
Published: February 2025

The first generation of PACS-systems were purely oriented towards Picture Archiving and Communication. The designers of these systems were faced with much larger data entities than that had been handled before. Because of inherent performance problems, they came up with proprietary schemes to connect modalities and archives. Consequently, these systems were difficult to maintain, difficult to upgrade to newer technologies and posed problems for multi-vendor situations.
Interactive Access to Clinical and Epidemiological Cancer Data
Authors: Adelhard K.  , Hölzel D.  , Klammert A.  , Schmidt M.
Published: February 2025

Collection, evaluation and publication of clinical and epidemiological data about cancer cases in the Munich area are tasks of the Tumour Registry in Munich. These results are an important basis from individual decisions for therapy to public health. Providing fast access to current evaluations for clinicians, primary care physicians and scientists is an important aim of our work. Global internet and world-wide-web are new possibilities to support health care delivery and research. Both clinical and epidemiological information is offered via then WWW-server of the Medical Faculty of the Ludwig-Maximililians-University (http://www.med.unimuenchen.de). Recommendations for diagnosis, therapy and postoperative care of tumour diseases are given by medical experts from the Comprehensive Cancer Centre. The number of more than 50.000 accesses to this server shows both its high acceptance and the need for such information.
National Strategy for Implementation of a Health Care Network. The Human Facets
Authors: Bernstein Knut  , Jensen Henrik Bjerregaard  , Johansen Ib  , Lehrmann Tove
Published: February 2025

Denmark is close to implementation of a National Health Care Network. The first, small projects started in 1989. The large scale National programme, MedCom, is running in 1995 and 1996. MedCom implements structured messaging, based on European EDIFACT's. We have experienced that most of the technical problems now are solved, and the new focus is on human facets. MedCom and it's pilot project is now focused i.e. at user involvement, organizational changes, personal networking and dissemination of the technology.
Accessing to knowledge base terms using UMLS concepts
Authors: Hardy Benoît  , Burgun Anita  , Le Beux Pierre
Published: February 2025

This paper presents the first phase of a project of a terminology server based on the UMLS project and using both lexical mapping and conceptual relations. The choice of tools has been to built a user to data knowledge base using the PERL language associated the World Wide Web technology and relational data base (ORACLE™).
LOINC - a freely available coding scheme for clinical and laboratory measurements
Authors: Thurin Anders  , Mcdonald Clem  , Bray Bruce  , Huff Stan  , Bidgood Dean  , Abernathy Greg  , Tracy Wayne  , Widman Lawrence  , Baker Suzanne
Published: February 2025

LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers, Names and Codes), is a project funded by the US government, to create a common coding system for diagnostic variables that will be provided to all health informatics users via the Internet. A database of more than 6300 names, codes and associated attributes is already available and in use for clinical chemistry, hematology, toxicology, serology and microbiology. This report describes a clinical extension to the LOINC database with codes for vital signs, fluid balance, cardiological and other functional observations and measurements. The LOINC project aims to solve immediate problems, but the design is flexible to permit adjustments for future needs. LOINC is available today. It is free of charge. This system should be an attractive way to label findings in health care information systems.
International Classification of Primary Care converted to ICD-10: Extended Danish ICPC
Authors: Lorentzen Erik Falkø
Published: February 2025

The Danish health care service is using two different classification systems for coding diagnoses: ICD-10 in hospitals and ICPC in General Practices. The organisation of FynCom has now developed a conversion between these two classification systems, so that general practitioners can use the ICPC-classification system when coding the electronic health care record (EHCR) as well as being able to send an electronic referral to the hospital with an ICD-10 code.
Building Healthcare Delivery Systems, Management, and Information Around the Human Facets
Authors: Rigby Michael J.  , Robins Sally C.
Published: February 2025

There is increasing recognition of the importance of the electronic patient record as the central unit of information systems, and of the importance of the human interface of IT systems. There is also increasing recognition of the importance of developing record components and unambiguous nomenclature to record the human aspects of healthcare delivery requirements. However, though this fine detail of the human dimension is vital, there is now a danger of focusing solely upon this fine granularity at the expense of standing back to view the total grand plan. At the macro level it is equally important to see the human facets as the determinants (and principal components) of the units which build up the total healthcare delivery system, of the mechanisms for its management, and of the information which fuels the whole dynamic.
HVEPS - The proces of installing and - using an Electronic Healthcare Record System within a University Hospital
Authors: Vingtoft Søren  , Almdal Thomas  , Becker Ulrik  , Burgaard Jytte  , Juhl Pia  , Koldsø Niels  , Kristensen Lis  , Larsen Henrik  , Loubjerg Per  , Peitersen Birgit  , Sigmund Helga  , Winkel Henrik
Published: February 2025

The HVEPS project concerns the installation and usage of an electronic healthcare record system within one hospital department based on an analysis and a strategy for the whole hospital. The objective was to 1) identify organisational and technical barriers, 2) to test problem oriented care supported by the electronic patient record and to test the unified healthcare record. From the experience of the HVEPS project it seems that succes of installing such systems is highly dependant on collaborative competences representing the 1) IT area, 2) health information modelling area, 3) specialised healthcare professionals areas, 4) general healthcare organisational area and 5) hospital administrative area within the individual hospital organisation.
An Information System for Community Nursing Support
Authors: Šušteršič Olga  , Rajkovič Vladislav
Published: February 2025

The paper deals with the computer support of community nursing. The proposed information system is based on a relational data model. The basic entities and their relations are given. The proposed solution does not only release the community nurse from the unnecessary work with numerous data but also offers the possibility for a new work content. This involves the use of a problem-solving strategy, accompanied with an in-depth analysis of data, and in general a more creative work of the community nurse.
Telematics for Anaesthesia and Intensive Therapy
Authors: Bowes Claire L.  , Holland Jos
Published: February 2025

On-going work relating to the development of advanced telematics systems for Critical Care environments (CCE) is described. Two example departments have been selected: Intensive Care and Anaesthesia. This paper outlines the following complex issues: 1. How can telematics be used for improving information management within the CCE and allow appropriate and secure communication between these departments and the rest of the healthcare community. 2. How can the quality of the therapeutic process be improved and assured? 3. How can the costs in these departments be determined and controlled? The long-term overall objectives in respect to these key questions are to design, implement and evaluate systems for Critical Care departments, that: provide comprehensive support for patient care and enable effective decision making; integrate into the daily routine of healthcare professionals and support co-operative work; communicate with hospital / community computers using appropriate transfer and security standards; provide automatic clinical audit and resource use data to support management; are flexible, configurable and have longevity.
Integration of Health Professional Workstations in Hospital Information Systems
Authors: Winter A.  , Lagemann A.  , Budig B.  , Grothe W.  , Haux R.  , Herr S.  , Pilz J.  , Sawinski R.  , Schmücker P.
Published: February 2025

Health professionals at a ward need appropriate health professional workstations for being able to get all the information they need. It is the task of the management of a hospital information system (HIS) to provide access to the required information procedures in a uniform way. The paper gives a taxonomy of uniformity but makes clear, that uniform user interfaces are worthless, if there is no appropriate communication infrastructure at both the logical and the physical level of the corresponding HIS. Experiences in the Heidelberg University Hospital show, that pragmatic approaches can be successful.
GSM enhances teleambulance services
Authors: Adeyinka Michael
Published: February 2025

The phenomenon of Teleambulance is becoming increasingly popular. This awakening technological development is enhancing the quality of healthcare delivery by providing possibilities for remotely assisting the emergency treatment of patients at the scene of incidence or during transportation in the ambulance before their arrival in the hospital wards. Both the mobile (ambulance) and the host (hospital) workstations communicate by sending messages, conveyed through the air by radio frequency (RF) signals. Transmitted data include. the emergency forms, monitored patient physiological measurements, textual remarks and images. The server/host resident software incorporates both a display and a database units for archiving the incoming patients records of incidence.
Parametric methods of dynamic spectral analysis non-stationary biological signals
Authors: Schack B.  , Grießbach G.  , Bareshova E.  , Anders Ch.  , Schumann N.-P.  , Florian G.
Published: February 2025

The complex and non-stationary character of multichannel biological signals like the EMG and the EEG requires dynamic methods for multidimensional processes in the spectral domain. The paper presents an adaptive algorithm of fitting bivariate time-dependent ARMA models. On this basis it is possible to calculate both univariate and bivariate spectral parameters with high temporal and spectral resolution in a parametric way. Further, the application of mapping procedures allows a topographic dynamic analysis of multidimensional non-stationary processes. The possibility of complex dynamic spectral analysis in this way is exemplarily shown for surface EMG signals of movements with fast changes and for EEG signals of finger movement.
National Programme of Health Informatics in Slovenia - Its Development and Perspectives
Authors: Albreht Tit  , Rogac Mitja  , Bozic Dusko  , Macarol-Hiti Metka  , Markota Mladen  , Misjak Jure  , Moravec-Berger Dasa  , Potocnik Boris  , Raic Gorazd
Published: February 2025

After a history of being developed through the period of around 25 years, Health Informatics reached an important milestone when the National Programme of Health Informatics was launched The article gives a brief outline of the reasons for its introduction, of its planned development and of the projects currently running within its framework setting the basis for the future.
IT to PATIENTS - What Else ?
Authors: Jessen Kaj
Published: February 2025

For more than 30 years Kommunedata has developed information systems for handling patient-related data within the healthcare sector. Terms like “focus on the patient” were used, but the IT-solutions only cared about the healthcare professionals.
Notes on Computer Analysis of Signals of Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Eye Movements
Authors: Juhola Martti
Published: February 2025

Some remarks will be presented on computer analysis of vestibuloocular reflex signals, which are recorded and analysed in otoneurological clinics in order to investigate equilibrium disorders of patients. Computation methods and result parameters will be discussed. Sampling frequencies employed will be assessed in the light of their impact on parameter values.
Computer-aided Diagnosis of Acute Abdominal Pain
Authors: de Dombal F.T.  , Leaper D.J.  , Staniland J.R.  , McCann A.P.  , Horrocks Jane C.
Published: February 2025

This paper reports a controlled prospective unselected real-time comparison of human and computer-aided diagnosis in a series of 304 patients suffering from abdominal pain of acute onset. The computing system's overall diagnostic accuracy (91.8%) was significantly higher than that of the most senior member of the clinical team to see each case (79.6%). It is suggested as a result of these studies that the provision of such a system to aid the clinician is both feasible in a real-time clinical setting, and likely to be of practical value, albeit in a small percentage of cases.
Mailing Lists and Newsgroups
Authors: Oliveri Nora
Published: February 2025

Internet applications including e-mail and WWW resources were dealt with in the first part of this book. The chapter opening this “Second Part: A Guide and Roadmap” refers to the search engines, which allow users to access not only web sites, but also to acess USNET groups. In this chapter we will brieffly discuss about the possibilities of automatic e-mail distribution lists and about Newsgroups, in further detail.
Pressures Exerted by Braces Used for Conservative Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Experimental Measurement
Authors: Quagliarella L.  , Aulisa L.  , Lupparelli S.  , Tartarone M.
Published: February 2025

The possibility to attain the correction of a scoliotic curve by the conservative treatment is conditioned by biomechanical factors. Mechanics determine the effectiveness of the forces elicited by braces, while biology affect the spine responsiveness to such forces during growth. In this study the analysis will focus on the role of mechanical factors only. One hundred and thirty three patient (112 females and 21 males, mean age 13 years), affected by idiopathic scoliosis and undergoing conservative treatment by different types of brace (Boston, Cheneau, Lyonnese, Tree-Vlaves), were recruited for this study and examined over two years. Brace-to-skin pressure values were measured by means of miniature dynamic pressure transducers and the data were clustered so as to evince some correlation between the recorded pressure values and the following parameters (type of brace, type of curve, patient posture during measurements and brace pad position).