Development of a European Neurological Network
The EU's Telematics Applications research programme is supporting the European Neurological Network (ENN), which aims to reduce dramatically inappropriate expenditure on the treatment of ailments such as headaches, sleep disorders and epilepsy. The project aims to create a multimedia telematic network to keep doctors and consultants informed about cost-effective treatments. Having begun in 1996, most of the tasks addressed by the project are now nearing completion. Information gathered from questionnaires and telephone interviews involving thousands of general practitioners, seeking to establish their level of knowledge of neurological disorders is now being entered onto the neurological network database. A first prototype of the system for polysomnography has also been developed, implementing diagnostic rules as defined by experts. A user interface, with explanation capabilities, access to the database, and links to the Internet, has also been created. The headache expert system has been produced on CD-ROM, and sleep, headache and epilepsy tutorials have also been written. Given the progress made so far, the ENN should be in place, as foreseen, by January 1999.