The electronic health card as a tool for seamless care. German activities to implement telematics

Health belongs to the infrastructure and services sectors, which are influenced and restructured by the development and implementation of information and communication technologies. But healthcare itself also gives impulses for the economic and social development which leads to the information and knowledge society. Communication, rationalisation, and quality problems in healthcare are solved. Thus, increases in efficiency, quality improvements, and cost savings result. To achieve these results, a suitable general framework must be created. Important key applications need to be developed.