Author/Editor		Premik, Marjan; Rudel, Drago
Title		Achievements and strategies of the Slovene healthcare informatics
Type		članek
Source		Med Inform
Vol. and No.		Letnik 5
Publication year		2001
Volume		str. 12-6
Language		eng
Abstract		Some achievements in the field of healthcare informatics in Slovenia as well as some strategic directions are presented. The most eminent achievement in the year 2000 is considered a nationwide introduction of a health insurance card. The system is based on a uniform national technological (communication infrastructure, computer network, self-service terminals and health card readers) as well as information infrastructure (database of insured persons, healthcare workers, healthcare institutions, healthcare activities and services etc.). A national association of experts in healthcare informatics - Slovene Medical Informatics Society has played an important role in setting the system requirements. The established infrastructure is planned to be upgraded to be used by other healthcare applications to form new information systems e.g. shared care and patient centered care information systems. All further activities in the field should culminate towards an integrated healthcare information system based on an Electronic HeaIthCare Record. In parallel with its implementation the social and medical environment should be reorganised accordingly. Exploitation of benefits which new communication and information technologies offer would be possible only if healthcare workers are adequately educated and skilled (retooling). A permanent lifetime education should be part of the national healthcare strategy and programs.
Descriptors		MEDICAL INFORMATICS INSURANCE, HEALTH MEDICAL RECORDS SYSTEMS, COMPUTERIZED PATIENT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS