!BSTRACT This paper describes in brief a basic framework for implementing a telematic-platform for patient oriented services. We first show the current situation in the medical field and work out the requirements for an integrating platform. Afterwards we introduce Active Node Technology (ANT), the technology the platform will be based on. )NTRODUCTION The always increasing life expectancy and the increasing number of long term and care patients has led to a dramatic explosion of costs. The goal of implementing a telematicplatform for patient oriented services is to increase the quality of health care while reducing the costs through an efficient employment of information and communication technology. A consortium in Germany headed by the Deutsche Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) is developing a system which will provide national access for all. The basic element of the system will be an integrative, network based workflow system with a realtime database ‐ the telematic-platform. The platform should provide a simple and easy to extend standard, bringing together all involved parties as there are patients and health care staff and other users, service provider or device manufacturer. This will set national and international standards and thus reduce the uncertainty for developers and service providers. Based on this platform, health services will be provided. Some examples of planned services are: monitoring of heart circulation patients at home (e. g. before and after an operation), communication services for care patients, integration of doctor’s practices and emergency services, administration services, expert databases and more. Patient data including medical as well as administrative information is stored at the moment at many different places on different systems. The doctor often lacks the results of previous examinations and thus repeats the examination or even more dangerous, does not make the right diagnosis. Using the platform, patient data will still be stored distributed physically. But it will be virtually available as a single, structured patient record. Data in such a complex system can be of various type. There can be simple textual information,
['Bernhard Zwantschko', 'Dieter Freismuth', 'Klaus Schmaranz']
Telematic Platform for Patient Oriented Services.