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Vol: 48(62) No: 2 / June 2003        

Stage and Perspective for Introducing Computers in Primary Healthcare
D. Berian
Department of Automation and Industrial Informatics, Faculty of Automation and Computers, “Politehnica” University of Timişoara, Bd. V. Parvan 2, 1900 Timişoara, Romania, e-mail: dberian@aut.utt.ro


Keywords: national healthcare system, informational infrastructure, health insurance, smart card, GP-MediNet network.

Abstract
This paper presents the current situation of the informational system in national the healthcare system and several solutions for the improvement of its informational and informatics infrastructure. A description of the main actors involved in the national healthcare system is presented, for the coordinator institutions and the healthcare providers, emphasizing the role they have in the national healthcare system. Most of the General Practitioners (GPs) don’t use a computer in their dispensaries. Others use simple FoxPro applications or Excel spreadsheets to manage their patients list. Introducing of computers in Primary Care should mean modifying the informational and the informatics infrastructure. In this case it will be necessary to implement a network between GPs dispensaries, National Health Insurance House, Ministry of Health and the development of a complete distributed software application. Another change in these infrastructures represents the imminence of the introduction of smart cards in healthcare. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of these changes is also presented.

References
[1] “Strategia Cadru a Informatizării în Sectorul Ocrotirii Sănătăţii, Proiect 2002”, material elaborat de specialişti din CCSSDM, Ministerul Sănătăţii şi Familiei, Asigurările de Sănătate, Colegiul Medicilor.
[2] “Carta Asiguratului în Sistemul Asigurărilor Sociale de Sănătate”, C.N.A.S., M.S.F., C.M.R., C.R.S.S., Bucureşti, 2002.
[3] M. Sucholotiuc, L. Ştefan, I. Dobre, M. Teseleanu, “Extended applications with smart cards for integration of health care and health insurance services”, MIE 2000, Hanovra.
[4] http://www.itc.ro/english/medical/cardiocard_main.html.
[5] D. Berian, “Features Analysis of Software Applications for General Practice”, MedInf 2003, Craiova, conference proceedings.
[6] M. Mărginean, L. Stoicu-Tivadar, V. Stoicu-Tivadar, D. Berian, “Managing resources in a GP national network: problems and achievements”, MIE 2002, Budapest, August 2002.