The programme announcement for MEDICA MEDIA 2007, the Forum for Telemedicine, held in connection with the largest international Trade Fair for Medicine, MEDICA (14 to 17 November / Düsseldorf), is now available on the Internet. The electronic health card, telemedicine, new media - focus areas such as these ensure that this year's MEDICA maintains its important rank in the daytimers of service providers in the outpatient and in-patient care sectors. In Hall 16 of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, more than 120 renowned presenters provide a comprehensive overview of the current and future-oriented developments of telematics in the health care sector.
On Wednesday, 14 November, the main topic relates to the electronic health card, healing professions and professional ID cards, as well as "care research". The topic "Care Research on the Upswing" is headed by Prof. Dr. Dipl.-Kfm. Rainer Riedel (University of Applied Sciences), course leader of Medical Economics at the Rheinische Fachhochschule, (University of Applied Sciences) in Cologne.
Against the backdrop of protests, especially from the side of physicians, the health card is becoming a hot topic. For example, at the Ärztetag (the Annual General Meeting of the German Medical Association), members voted against the introduction of the electronic health card in the form presented up to May 2007. Nevertheless, model projects have been carried out. Dr. med. Franz-Joseph Bartmann, Chairman of the Telematics Committee of the German Medical Association and special advisor of MEDICA MEDIA is chairing the event section "Health Card" with a final panel discussion on this controversial topic.
In addition, MEDICA itself will focus on the topic of the health card. Thus, visitors may use the "health card route" to find information on all events and exhibitors. The final event of MEDICA MEDIA, on Saturday, 17 November 2007, will be a public discussion between proponents and opponents of the health card from the ranks of the physicians.
Thursday, 15 November 2007 focuses on telediagnostics - across all sections of MEDICA. Chaired by Prof. Dr. med. Hans-Fred Weiser, President of the Verband der Leitenden Krankenhausärzte Deutschland e. V. (German Association of Senior Hospital Physicians), Düsseldorf, and special advisor of MEDICA MEDIA, the topic of telediagnostics and its new developments (ultrasound, gene analysis, imaging and endoscopy) will be discussed. Specifically, the discussion will deal with the question how physicians can access diagnostic support regardless of their locations. The use of telediagnostics will be demonstrated using the example of a clinic, and perspectives of clinical associations will be discussed.
An important issue for patients is also the question how physicians can keep pace with the accelerated speed of knowledge gain. The topic range of a separate event with top-quality experts spans from new approaches in surgical development to the status quo and the perspectives of professional development for local physicians.
Globalisation as Opportunity
On Friday, 16 November 2007, Prof. Dr. med. Werner A. Scherbaum (President of MEDICA Deutsche Gesellschaft für Interdisziplinäre Medizin e. V. , Stuttgart [Association for Interdisciplinary Medicine] / Director of the Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetology and Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Düsseldorf), Prof. Dr. med. Michael Nervlich (Head of the Trauma Surgery Department of the University Hospital of Regensburg) and Prof. Dr. med. Otto Rienhoff (Head of the Medical Informatics Department of the University of Göttingen) will deal with the topic of "Physicians and Telemedicine in a Globalised World". The discussion will show that globalisation can provide an opportunity for the improvement of the quality of medical services.
On Saturday, 17 November 2007, the talks and practical demonstrations will focus on the opportunities provided by the knowledge and technology transfer between hospitals as well as telediagnostics.
Further information on MEDICA 2007, the MEDICA Congress and MEDICA MEDIA, as well as the product ranges of the approximately 4,200 exhibitors from 65 nations is available on the MEDICA Portal at http://www.medica.de.