Trends in wide area network development for inter-hospital consulting

Interhospital computer networks can assist rural areas and developing countries with health care via teleconsulting, teleradiology, and telepathology. According to recent sources there are several such citywide networks and eight statewide networks in the US and five notable networks in other countries. Satisfactory clinical consulting requires a multimedia approach whereby X-rays and other images are transmitted together with a standardized patient description form. The technical and clinical requirements are discussed for telecommunication assistance of underserved hospitals. In USA, the Veteran´s Administration has developed a national system for exchange of patient data. The new database resources are accessible to all rural and urban physicians who find a way to access the Internet. The Internet is the preferred network for a rural health consortium or an international medical consortium. Even though nearly all US medical centers are on Internet, no major security violations have been reported