title: Health services, coordination and the Internet.
abstract: The on-going specialization of medical services requires socioeconomic coordination of different health services. The GP is the key to improve this primary coordination. To qualify referral decisions by the GP an Internet-like information system (VisInfo) has been implemented in Denmark. This VisInfo contains information on (1) alternative periods of waiting, (2) medical guidelines for specific treatments (3) clinical home pages, and (4) links to non-medical providers of health services (NGOs). VisInfo was originally implemented in the Counties of Funen, Northern Jutland and Vejle in 1993-1995. A number of other counties are implementing similar information systems whereof the County of Frederiksborg, recently has implemented the first real Internet-system. Provisional experiences with the VisInfo strategy is presented on (1) the general user interest, (2) elaborations of the strategy, and (3) organization. Based on the BlackSeaDiab Action Plan and the BlackSea TeleDiab project, the potential for dissemination of medical informatics in the Black Sea Region through an adaption of the VisInfo strategy is discussed.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003660:Decision Support Systems, Management; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D003718:Denmark; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005194:Family Practice; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D019146:Hypermedia; D007256:Information Systems; D008490:Medical Informatics; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013038:Specialization; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014850:Waiting Lists