Security concerns for mobile information systems in health care

We study the mutually restricting problems of permanent availability and legally demanded security of patient data in clinical information systems. Inefficiencies in today´s clinical information management call for an integrated technological support for hospitals. In particular, client/server solutions offer the flexibility and spatial independence appreciated in health care. On the other hand, mobile client applications having access from nearly everywhere in a hospital to servers containing sensitive data arouse severe security problems. Additionally, the need for 24 hours per day and 7 days per week availability of patient data in hospital run information systems defines a conflicting border condition. We present a proposed approach developed in the Swiss National Science Foundation project MobiMed to support clinical processes technologically, including access control which is compatible with security mechanisms as well as everyday practical work consideration in clinical environments.