How does the health sector use advanced telecommunications?
The European Commission, Directorate-General XIII, has recently published an open call for tenders for a study on the use of advanced telecommunication services by health-care establishments and the possible implications for telecommunications regulatory policy of the European Union. The tender covers the domain of management-consultant services and related services. The Commission wishes to launch the study within the context of the 1999 legislative review, in order to obtain relevant information on whether European health-care establishments are adequately served in terms of advanced telecommunications services and infrastructures. The objective of the study is to examine the use, the cost of, and the needs for advanced telecommunications services by health-care establishments in the 15 European Union Member States. More specifically, the study should identify the organization and structure of the health-care establishments and the ways in which they are connected via telecommunications. It should also look at the current use, requirements and costs of advanced telecommunications services and networks; and attempt to assess the inadequacies or limitations of these services and networks in the health-care sector. This work should be carried out over seven months and will receive 100% funding. For further information, please contact: European Commission Directorate-General XIII Information Society: Telecommunications, Markets, Technologies - Innovation and Exploitation of Research DG XIII/A Mr Y Domzalski BU 31 3/20 rue de la Loi 200 B-1049 Brussels Tel. +32-2-2968209 or 2967056; Fax +32-2-2968393