The development of Web-based clinical information systems

The requirements for clinical information systems are converging onto a universally accepted model. The key question is how can such systems be realised in practice. The presentation addresses this key question in a number of ways. The key components of a generic model for clinical information systems are described. How each of the various standards which have been developed, or are in the process of being developed, fit the generic model is discussed. The key difference today is that open architecture hardware is sufficiently powerful that, when coupled to broadband telecommunication systems and Web-based technology, the generic model for clinical information systems is fully realisable.