title: Implementation and integration of regional health care data networks in the Hellenic National Health Service.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.affiliation: Computer and Communications Engineering Department, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece. plampsas@uth.gr
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lampsas
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vidalis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papanikolaou
authors.forename: Aristides
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vagelatos
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D016494:Computer Security / Q000191:economics; D003199:Computer Systems / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D019992:Databases as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D005060:Europe; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D000078329:Workforce