[Information system in the University Hospitals and outside connections]

Information and communication are two components, influencing decisional and management activity in the Health Institutions. Information is retrieved, processed and diffused in any organization level, improving knowledge in the health and technical-administrative departments. In communication networks data flow from a "source" to different environments and structures requiring information, passing through "decisional points", called "nodes". The responsibility of the entire system is devoted to the process of the information in itself. Principal databases, allowed by actual technology information systems, used in a teaching hospital, thanks to the experience of our Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria in Ferrara, are described in this work. Several kinds of sources, processes and uses of data will be focused, including a description of the improving architecture of the "network" of our teaching hospital and its integration with our Regional and National Health Service.