ICT Standards in the Health Sector: Current Situation and Prospects
This new study about ICT standards in the health sector by empirica provides a structured overview of eHealth standards development and uptake in a European context, paying special attention to standards for electronic health records. The study was commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate General Enterprise and Industry and explores the current status of ICT health standardisation processes and their future potential. Key findings include the following: 
Edited by Kevin Dean
Grid technology, one of the key technologies for the 'European Research Area', offers rapid computation, large scale data storage and flexible collaboration by harnessing together the power of large numbers of computers, from end-users' desktops to powerful workstations and clusters of more powerful machines. The grid was devised for use in scientific fields, such as particle physics and bioinformatics, in which large volumes of data, or very rapid processing, or both, are necessary. 
This review has been taking place alongside the NHS Next Stage Review (NSR) and reflects the informatics requirements of that review. Groups of staff, patients, carers and the public have been looking at clinical pathways and new ways of providing care. There are needs to support access and choice, the involvement of patients and the public and to meet increasing expectations. These make this the appropriate time for a review of information requirements and how information is provided. The review is also timely because of the technological advances and the rise of the importance of information to society in general. 
The Commission Recommendation on cross-border interoperability of electronic health record systems (hereinafter referred to as 'the Recommendation') has been drafted as a follow-up to the Community eHealth Action Plan which, in 2004, defined interoperability of electronic health records as one of the priorities for Member States in the roadmap annexed to the Action Plan.