Medical and Care Compunetics 5

Health Informatics at the ICMCC 2008 Crossroads

Medical and Care Compunetics 5 accompanies the fifth annual ICMCC Event, hosted by the University of Westminster Business School. Edited by Lodewijk Bos, Bernd Blobel, Andy Marsh, and Denis Carroll, this volume brings together contributions from researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of medicine, care, and information and communication technology. The term compunetics points to the social, societal, and ethical dimensions that surround medical and care ICT — not just the technical systems themselves.

What the Volume Explores

The 2008 programme reflected a field moving from isolated pilots toward integrated, citizen-facing health systems. Papers and sessions address:

• National and regional projects
• Electronic health records and their evolving architectures
• European projects in health informatics
• Knowledge management in care settings
• Platforms for medical and care ICT
• Behavioral compunetics
• Empowerment of patients and citizens
• The personal health paradigm and its challenges for citizens and patients

Electronic Health Records, Empowerment, and the Personal Health Paradigm

A significant strand of the volume considers electronic health records and the ways they reshape clinical work, data sharing, and patient participation. Another focuses on empowerment and the personal health paradigm, asking how citizens and patients can be active participants rather than passive recipients. The inclusion of behavioral compunetics adds a psychological and social lens to decisions often treated as purely technological.

Knowledge Management and European Collaboration

Dedicated tracks on European projects and knowledge management show how health informatics research crosses borders and disciplines. The volume reflects an international community: contributions come from authors across continents, and the programme was supported by groups including the British Computer Society’s Health Informatics Interactive Care Specialist Group and Sociotechnical Group, PAERS, and IFMBE.

Who May Find It Useful

This collection is relevant to health informatics researchers, eHealth strategists, clinical informaticians, healthcare managers, policymakers, and students examining medical and care ICT. Readers interested in electronic health records, telemedicine, patient empowerment, or the social and ethical dimensions of health technology will find a documented snapshot of the field’s priorities in 2008.

Part of Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

Medical and Care Compunetics 5 is Volume 137 in the Studies in Health Technology and Informatics series, published by IOS Press. The series has been accepted in Medline, and volumes from 2005 onward are available online. This fifth ICMCC volume preserves the conference’s mix of project reports, conceptual papers, and practical discussions.