The G8-global healthcare applications project (GHAP) - recommendations for the way into the information society

The Global Healthcare Applications Project has sought to demonstrate the potential of telematics in the field of medicine and healthcare and to promote joint approaches to issues such as the setting of standards. This has been done through 10 sub-projects covering a range of applications and issues: 1. Towards a global public health information network - Coordinator: Germany (Ulrich Laaser, ulaaser@mail.uni-bielefeld.de; URL: http://health.ibs.uni-bielefeld. de/i-jphe/database/documents/abstract/laaser-g7.htm(C45-60_laaser-g7. pdf) 2. Improving prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. - Coordinator: France (Gerard Brugal, gerard. brugal@imag.fr; URL: http://pathconsult.imag.fr/G7/G7_index.html) 3. Improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment of major cardiovascular diseases. - Coordinator: Italy (Attilio Maseri, amaseri@rm.unicatt.it; URL: http://www.g7cardio.org) 4. International concerted action for collaboration in telemedicine. - Coordinator: Canada (Andre Lacroix, lacroixa@ere.umontreal.ca; URL: http:// www.g7sp4.org) 5. Enabling mechanisms for a global healthcare network, including Internet connectivity. - Coordinator: UK (Ray Rogers, r.rogers@mcmail.com; URL: http://www.ehto.be/sp5) 6. International harmonisation of the use of data cards in healthcare: Internet Connectivity Coordinator: USA (Elliot R. Siegel, siegel@nlm.nih.gov; URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/) - Smart Cards and information exchange security in health care Joint Coordinators: France, European Commission, Italy and Germany (Jacques Sauret, jacques.sauret@sante.gouv.fr and G8-HC@sesam-vitale.fr; URL: http:/www.sesam-vitale.fr/Projects/Netlink-G7-En/) 7. Evidence and effectiveness. - Coordinator: Canada (Andrew Penn, andrew. penn@ualberta.ca; URL: http://www.medlib.com/spi/web.htm) 8. Multilingual anatomical digital database. - Coordinator: USA (Michael J. Ackermann; URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov) 9. Medical image reference centre. - Coordinator: Japan (Eturo Kashiwagi,EK-WEY@mhw. go.jp; URL: http://www.medirec.ncc.go.jp) 10. Special Interactive TV and Multimedia Programmes for Professionals and Public in Dentistry and International Online Academy for Dentistry and Oral Medicine. - Coordinator: Germany (Alexander Ammann, ammann@quinline.com; URL: http://quinline.globaldent.com) - Further information: http://www. bmgesundheit.de