%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I Gunther Eysenbach
%V 4
%N 3
%P e20
%T Implementation and Integration of Regional Health Care Data Networks in the Hellenic National Health Service
%A Lampsas,Petros
%A Vidalis,Ioannis
%A Papanikolaou,Christos
%A Vagelatos,Aristides
%+ University of Thessaly, Glavani 37 & 28is Oktovriou, Greece, +30 977 350597, plampsas@uth.gr
%K Computer communication networks
%K network architecture and design
%K computer security
%K internetworking
%K medical informatics
%K information systems
%K health information systems
%D 2002
%7 31.12.2002
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: Modern health care is provided with close cooperation among many different institutions and professionals, using their specialized expertise in a common effort to deliver best-quality and, at the same time, cost-effective services. Within this context of the growing need for information exchange, the demand for realization of data networks interconnecting various health care institutions at a regional level, as well as a national level, has become a practical necessity. Objectives: To present the technical solution that is under consideration for implementing and interconnecting regional health care data networks in the Hellenic National Health System. Methods: The most critical requirements for deploying such a regional health care data network were identified as: fast implementation, security, quality of service, availability, performance, and technical support. Results: The solution proposed is the use of proper virtual private network technologies for implementing functionally-interconnected regional health care data networks. Conclusions: The regional health care data network is considered to be a critical infrastructure for further development and penetration of information and communication technologies in the Hellenic National Health System. Therefore, a technical approach was planned, in order to have a fast cost-effective implementation, conforming to certain specifications. 
%M 12554551
%R 10.2196/jmir.4.3.e20
%U http://www.jmir.org/2002/3/e20/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4.3.e20
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12554551