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Presentation of Netlink Project

 

 

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Abstract

This document is a synthetic presentation of the NETLINK project.

NETLINK is a project of the Fourth framework programme on research and development of the European commission HC 4016. It brings together participants of France, Germany, Italy and the Province of Quebec (Canada). This project is funded by the European Commission

Rationale

Countries involved in the NETLINK consortium (France, Germany, Italy and the Province of Québec) have set up or are in the process of setting up new nation-wide Information Systems in the Health Care sector based on the use of modern technologies : smart cards (used by Health Professionals and Patients), computers (used by Health Professionals, Hospitals, Health Insurance Funds), large networks, trusted third parties (for security purpose).

Their objective is to make these new nation-wide Information Systems interoperable for the benefit of :

  • patients (including continuity of care, enhancement of quality of care, simplification of administrative procedures),
  • health practitioners (including communication facilitation, continuity of care, simplification of administrative procedures),
  • health insurance funds (including communication facilitation, simplification of administrative procedures).

The common process undertaken by the country members of the NETLINK consortium constitutes a first step towards the establishment of standards or recommendations for the healthcare sector at the European and international levels.

Presentation of the NETLINK project

The NETLINK project aims at establishing recommendations and technical specifications for :

  • Health Professionals to access to Patient Data Cards (free access or controlled access to data stored in Patient cards),
  • Health Professionals to exchange documents asynchronously in a secure way (including digital signature and confidentiality services),
  • Health Professionals to access to on-line servers in a secure way.

The availability of these functionalities on an international basis will benefit to Patients (including continuity of care, enhancement of quality of care), Health Professionals (including communication facilitation), Health Insurance Funds (including simplification of administrative procedures).

In order to demonstrate the functionality mentioned above, the NETLINK project establishes recommendations and technical specifications to ensure interoperability between Information Systems based on the use of :

  • Smart cards for Health Professionals,
  • Smart cards for Patients,
  • Workstations for Health Professionals,
  • Large networks,
  • Security architectures and more specifically the ones related to data encryption (use of smart cards, TTP’s, etc.),

and will demonstrate the viability of the selected solutions through cross-border pilot sites.

NETLINK activities are conducted in the continuation of the work undertaken previously at international level, including :

  • EUROCARDS, G8 HEALTHCARDS, CARDLINK and TRUSTHEALTH I,
  • recommendation of the European Parliament about the Health Passport (April 1996),
  • decisions of the Healthcare Council (Dublin, November 1996) and of the High Committee for Healthcare (Amsterdam 1997),
  • conclusions of the feasibility study about the harmonisation of data cards presented in Bethesda in co-operation with Canada.

The NETLINK project is conducted in relation with the other countries and European projects dealing with similar subjects. The NETLINK consortium will carry out the promotion of the results both in the European Union countries and in the international community, thus contributing to the development of new standards wherever appropriate. It will undertake the secretariat of the G8 Health Card Working Group in the next two years.
The member countries of the NETLINK project will use the project results and the lessons learned from it, with a view to prepare or influence their own programmes of smart card deployment in the healthcare sector.

Downloadable presentations

The Netlink presentation slides are provided below.

  • 2 pages presentation : key objectives of Netlink project (16/11/99, Acrobat 3 document)
  • Netlink Presentation Slides May 2000 for CardTech / SecurTech conference (May 2000, Miami, USA), (30/06/2000, Acrobat 3 document)

    • The presentation « Working towards Interoperability A status update and demonstration » was made during CardTech/SecureTech 2000 held in Miami Convention center by Mr. Noel Nader, NETLINK project coordinator. It presents the status of the NETLINK project, the objectives, the results obtained and the partners involved. Some information around GIE SESAM-VITALE actions is also presented.

  • Netlink Presentation Slides May 1999 for CardTech / SecurTech conference (May 1999, Chicago, USA),

Last update : july 2002