Computer technology has impacted the practice of medicine in dramatic ways. Imaging techniques provide non-evasive tools which alter the diagnostic pro cess. Sophisticated monitoring equipment presents new levels of detail for both patient management and research. In most of these high technology applica tions, the computer is embedded in the device; its presence is transparent to the user. There is also a growing number of applications in which the health care provider directly interacts with a computer. In many cases, these applications are limited to administrative functions, e.g., office practice management, loca tion of hospital patients, appointments, and scheduling. Nevertheless, there also are instances of patient care functions such as results reporting, decision support, surveillance, and reminders. This series, Computers and Medicine, will focus upon the direct use of infor mation systems as it relates to the medical community. After twenty-five years of experimentation and experience, there are many tested applications which can be implemented economically using the current generation of computers. Moreover, the falling cost of computers suggests that there will be even more extensive use in the near future. Yet there is a gap between current practice and the state-of-the-art."

Computer technology has impacted the practice of medicine in dramatic ways. Imaging techniques provide noninvasive tools which alter the diag nostic process. Sophisticated monitoring equipment presents new levels of detail for both patient management and research. In most of these high technology applications, the computer is embedded in the device; its presence is transparent to the user. There is also a growing number of applications in which the health care provider directly interacts with a computer. In many cases, these appli cations are limited to administrative functions, e.g., office practice man agement, location of hospital patients, appointments, and scheduling. Nevertheless, there also are instances of patient care functions such as results reporting, decision support, surveillance, and reminders. This series, Computers and Medicine, will focus upon the direct use of information systems as it relates to the medical community. After twenty-five years of experimentation and experience, there are many tested applications which can be implemented economically using the current generation of computers. Moreover, the falling cost of computers suggests that there will be even more extensive use in the near future. Yet there is a gap between current practice and the state-of-the-art."

Computer technology has impacted the practice of medicine in dramatic ways. Imaging techniques provide noninvasive tools which alter the diag nostic process. Sophisticated monitoring equipment presents new levels of detail for both patient management and research. In most of these high technology applications, the computer is embedded in the device; its presence is transparent to the user. There is also a growing number of applications in which the health care provider directly interacts with a computer. In many cases, these appli cations are limited to administrative functions, e.g., office practice man agement, location of hospital patients, appointments, and scheduling. Nevertheless, there also are instances of patient care functions such as results reporting, decision support, surveillance, and reminders. This series, Computers and Medicine, will focus upon the direct use of information systems as it relates to the medical community. After twenty-five years of experimentation and experience, there are many tested applications which can be implemented economically using the current generation of computers. Moreover, the falling cost of computers suggests that there will be even more extensive use in the near future. Yet there is a gap between current practice and the state-of-the-art."

A unified and coherent introduction to the notion of abstraction in interactive computer graphics is provided by this book. Abstraction entails refinement of images based on geometric models so as to reflect the importance of the features of the model for the dialog context and the visualization goal. This may require leaving out irrelevant details or accentuating significant features by adding details or enlarging or deforming parts. Such modifications are routine by hand but are at the leading edge of research in 2D and 3D computer graphics. The authors see the abstraction process as an interactive exploration of complex information spaces, and report especially on zooming and rendering techniques. Benefits are discussed for applications in medical illustration and technical documentation.

This series in Computers and Medicine had its origins when I met Jerry Stone of Springer-Verlag at a SCAMC meeting in 1982. We determined that there was a need for good collections of papers that would help disseminate the results of research and application in this field. I had already decided to do what is now Information Systems for Patient Care, and Jerry contributed the idea of making it part of a series. In 1984 the first book was published, and-thanks to Jerry's efforts - Computers and Medicine was underway. Since that time, there have been many changes. Sadly, Jerry died at a very early age and cannot share in the success of the series that he helped found. On the bright side, however, many of the early goals of the series have been met. As the result of equipment improvements and the consequent lowering of costs, com puters are being used in a growing number of medical applications, and the health care community is very computer literate. Thus, the focus of concern has turned from learning about the technology to understanding how that technology can be exploited in a medical environment."

Intended for nurses who would like to know more about the development of the computerized information systems on which they have become so dependent, Nursing and Computers: An Anthology is a wide-range introduction to the literature of this field. The editors have selected historical and contemporary papers to show both the systems at their inception and examples of how they have evolved. Of interest to both the generalist and the specialist, these articles examine the partnership between nurses and computers in the areas of administration, practice, research, and education.

Microcomputer-based labs, the use of real-time data capture and display in teaching, give the learner new ways to explore and understand the world. As this book shows, the international effort over a quarter-century to develop and understand microcomputer-based labs (MBL) has resulted in a rich array of innovative implementations and some convincing evidence for the value of computers for learning. The book is a sampler of MBL work by an outstanding international group of scientists and educators, based on papers they presented at a seminar held as part of the NATO Special Programme on Advanced Educational Technology. The story they tell of the development of MBL offers valuable policy lessons on how to promote educational innovation. The book will be of interest to a wide range of educators and to policy makers.

An International Conference on "Neurosurgical Training and Reserach" was held in Munich from October 6 - 9, 1996, under the auspices of the EANS, and organized by H.-J. Reulen and H.-J. Steiger. Experts from different countries and neurosurgical organizations have collected information on the present status of resident training in neurosurgery and the mechanisms involved with the training. Various aspects, the recruitment process, the criteria used for selection, the contents and structure of a program, the continuous quality control, exposition to the art of research, fellowships and subspeciality training, etc. have been covered. The present book contains this material and thus provides a unique and comprehensive source of information on the complex of modern neurosurgical training. " ... The beauty of this work is that it puts in one place the many varied aspects of a neurosurgical training program that one needs to be aware of ... should be required reading for the faculty of any academic training program as well as for others who may have a misconception of what residency training is ... an excellent book for any program director or active faculty member. It should be required reading for all faculty members before the next round of resident interviews ..." Neurosurgery "... well edited, published to a high standard and will naturally be of interest to those specifically involved in the areas of selection and training ... a useful text for aspirants to surgical training posts ..." British Journal of Neurosurgery

Ever since the early 1960s, the medical ical records. Expert assistance in di- issue might contain a review of an office agnosis and treatment selection will be world has awaited the promise of com- practice management system-of in- as close as the nearest telephone, which terest to the physician, nurse, and office puterization. Many of us were fasci- will provide an immediate link to the nated by the efforts of the pioneers: practice manager. Next to it might be Homer Warner's computerized diag- office computer. found a detailed article about a language nosis system, Octo Barnett's medical Since 1983, M,D. Computing has such as LISP and how it could be ap- information system, Howard Bleich's explored and explained all of these as- plied to medical problems, or a tutorial pects. Our magazine's major focus is on about real-time monitoring of a patient's automated acid/base consultant" and Warner Slack's history-taking program computer systems that serve the health physiological state, along with book re- were foretastes of what was to come. provider in the home or office environ- views and departments reporting on At first, however, physicians and hos- ment. M. D, Computing has also ex- pertinent computer news. pital personnel resisted the computer amined more general computer appli- In several cases, a distinct theme because it was too slow, too fragile, too cations in medical care.

This computer-based nomenclature aims to create a universal environment for the acquisition, review, and transmission of medical information independent of language. MEDCIN systemizes the diagnostic process, by removing the subjective variables of patient information gathering, allowing for a more consistent patient diagnosis, and more reliable data for research. Through a coding structure of hierarchical inheritance, MEDCIN accommodates the individual thought processes of the clinician, while remaining structured enough to capture the clinical findings needed for documentation and analysis. It also provides a universal language base for over 50,000 specific medical findings in French, German and Spanish, enabling the user to read patient chart data, irrespective of the language of acquisition.

This series is intended for students and practitioners of the health profes sions who are seeking to expand their knowledge of computers in health care. Our editors and authors, experts in their fields, offer their insights into innovations and trends. Each book is practical and easy to use. Since the series began, in 1988, we have seen increasing acceptance of the term "informatics" and of the innovations it brings to health care. Today more than ever we are committed to making this series contribute to the field of healthcare informatics, the discipline "where caring and technology meet. " KATHRYN J. HANNAH MARION J. BALL v Preface Computer technology has transformed health care not only by improving the accuracy and quantity of information available to'clinicians, but also by improving the flow of information among the people who provide, arrange for, and pay for health services. This book is about the new computer networlcs that electronically link people and organizations in the health care field. Its purpose is to explore the impact of new computer networks upon the different organizations in the field, their services to patients, and the way in which organizations collaborate and compete, share information, and guard confidential material. The book explores computer networks primarily from the perspective of public health, discussing the impact that networks have upon communities as well as individuals."

Nursing and Computers: An Anthology 1987-1996 is a compilation of both landmark historic and contemporary papers, illustrating the inception and evolution of nursing informatics. The editors have collected these newly-published independent papers, and assembled them into an invaluable source book providing a framework for future developments in the field of Nursing Informatics. It will be an essential tool for nurses seeking to attain credentials as Nursing Informatics Specialists. The articles demonstrate representative experiences and philosophies in the field, attempting to maintain and expand upon the current knowledge base of computer technology in nursing. Examining the relationship between nursing and information systems, practical applications include: administration, practice, research, education, critical care, and community health.

This collection of papers is the result of a symposium sponsored by NATO's Defense Research Group Panel VIII in the Spring of 1985. The symposium came into being when it became obvious to the NATO countries that research, development and utilization of advanced technologies for training was the best means of increasing both training effectiveness and efficiency. This symposium was the second in a series of three devoted to training. The series was structured to cover all aspects of training. The first series addressed the value of training, the second one dealt with the application of training technologies and the third and last of the series focused on academic issues concerned with the effect of prior learning on subsequent learning. The fact that a major American publisher has determined that computer based instruction is the technology of greatest interest to the NATO community is not surprising. Advances in microprocessor technology have revolutionized both how and where we train. During this symposium there were a limited number of carefully chosen exhibits to demonstrate the various applications of computer based training techniques. In the following papers you will find both a practical and scientific basis for the way current and future training and training systems should be designed, applied and utilized. We know that training must be done faster and more effectively.

Modern critical care is characterized by the collection of large volumes of data and the making of urgent patient care decisions. The two do not necessarily go together easily. For many years the hope has been that ICU data management systems could play a meaningful role in ICU decision support. These hopes now have a basis in fact, and this book details the history, methodology, current status, and future prospects for critical care decision support systems. By focusing on real and operational systems, the book demonstrates the importance of integrating data from diverse clinical data sources; the keys to implementing clinically usable systems; the pitfalls to avoid in implementation; and the development of effective evaluation methods.

When Pascal James Imperato, MD, assumed the edi * Exclusion by the New York State Departm~nt of Health of qualified laboratories from HIV testmg torship of the New York State Journal of Medicine in 198~, the acquired immunodeficiency syndro. me (AIDS) epI * Protection of health care workers * Responsibilities of physicians and other health care demic in the United States was already SIX years old. Dur ing the time of his editorship, two thematic issues of the workers Journal have been devoted to AIDS. In addition, a large * Public education number of original communications have been regularly * AIDS confidentiality published on the subje~t. This volume ?rings together The Symposium on AIDS in Washington, DC, had important articles published on AIDS m the Journal been so successful that the MSSNY, under the auspices of during 1987 and 1988. . . the task force and the Division of Governmental Affairs, In the early years of the epidemic the Medical Society of held two informational symposia for state senators and the State of New York (MSSNY) was aware that it had a assemblymen and their staffs in Albany, New York. Thes. e responsibility to both the professi?~ an~ the public to add were presented in February 1988 and. March. 1989. ,!,hIS its efforts to those already mobIlized m the attempt to effort has convinced the MSSNY that It has given legisla understand and control this tragic disease. Early on, the tors a better understanding of the overall AIDS problem.

Biology education, like science education in general, is in the midst of a revolution that is worldwide in scope. The changes in the ways science education researchers think about learning and understanding represent a major paradigm shift. In this book, international leaders in the field of biology education research give summaries of problems and solutions in biology learning and teaching at various grade levels. Based on a NATO workshop in the Special Programme on Advanced Educational Technology, it provides practical information for teachers, especially in using new interactive, constructivist teaching methods. For science education researchers, it offers a concise summary of a number of research issues in biology education.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the IFIP WG 8.4/8.9 International Cross Domain Conference and Workshop on Availability, Reliability and Security - Multidisciplinary Research and Practice for Business, Enterprise and Health Information Systems, ARGES 2011, held in Vienna, Austria, in August 2011.The 29 revised papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the volume. The papers concentrate on the many aspects of availability, reliability and security for information systems as a discipline bridging the application fields and the well- defined computer science field. They are organized in three sections: multidisciplinary research and practice for business, enterprise and health information systems; massive information sharing and integration and electronic healthcare; and papers from the colocated International Workshop on Security and Cognitive Informatics for Homeland Defense.

Healthcare is noted for using leading-edge technologies and embracing new scientific discoveries to enable better cures for diseases and better means to enable early detection of most life-threatening diseases. However, the healthcare industry globally, and in the US specifically, has been extremely slow to adopt technologies that focus on better practice management and administrative needs. Presently, healthcare is grappling with many challenges both nationally and globally, including escalating costs, a move to a preventative care environment, and a technologically savvy patient with high expectations. The Handbook of Research on Optimizing Healthcare Management Techniques is a pivotal reference source that provides an extensive and rich compilation of various ICT initiatives and examines the role that ICT plays and will play in the future of healthcare delivery. It represents ways in which healthcare delivery can be made superior and the healthcare industry can begin to address the major challenges it faces in the 21st century so that ultimately the most important person in the web of healthcare players, the patient, can be confident about receiving high-quality, cost-effective healthcare. While highlighting topics such as e-health, medical informatics, and patient value, this publication explores the role of supportive technologies as well as the methods of focused, patient-centric outcomes. This book is ideally designed for doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, medical staff, hospital directors, medical boards, IT consultants, health practitioners, academicians, researchers, and students.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 13th Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, AIME 2011, held in Bled, Slovenia, in July 2011.

The 42 revised full and short papers presented together with 2 invited talks were carefully reviewed and selected from 113 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on knowledge-based systems; data mining; special session on AI applications; probabilistic modeling and reasoning; terminologies and ontologies; temporal reasoning and temporal data mining; therapy planning, scheduling and guideline-based care; and natural language processing.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Augmented Cognition, FAC 2011, held in Orlando, FL, USA in July 2011, within the framework of the 14th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2011, with 11 other thematically similar conferences. The 75 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers are organized in topical parts on theories, models, and technologies for augmented cognition; neuroscience and brain monitoring; augmented cognition, social computing, and collaboration; augmented cognition for learning; augmented cognition and interaction; and augmented cognition in complex environments.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Information Processing in Medical Imaging, IPMI 2011, held at Kloster Irsee, Germany, in July 2011. The 24 full papers and 39 poster papers included in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 224 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on segmentation, statistical methods, shape analysis, registration, diffusion imaging, disease progression modeling, and computer aided diagnosis. The poster sessions deal with segmentation, shape analysis, statistical methods, image reconstruction, microscopic image analysis, computer aided diagnosis, diffusion imaging, functional brain analysis, registration and other related topics.

This book contains a selection of thoroughly refereed and revised papers from the Second International ICST Conference on Wireless and Mobile Communication in Healthcare, MobiHealth 2010, held in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, in October 2010. The 33 papers in this volume describe various applications of information and communication technologies in healthcare and medicine and cover a wide range of topics such as intelligent public health monitoring services, mobile health technologies, signal processing techniques for monitoring services, wearable biomedical devices, ambient assistive technologies, emergency and disaster applications, and integrated systems for chronic monitoring and management.

The NATO workshop on Disordered Systems and Biological Organization was attended, in march 1985, by 65 scientists representing a large variety of fields: Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics and Biology. It was the purpose of this interdisciplinary workshop to shed light on the conceptual connections existing between fields of research apparently as different as: automata theory, combinatorial optimization, spin glasses and modeling of biological systems, all of them concerned with the global organization of complex systems, locally interconnected. Common to many contributions to this volume is the underlying analogy between biological systems and spin glasses: they share the same properties of stability and diversity. This is the case for instance of primary sequences of biopo Iymers I ike proteins and nucleic acids considered as the result of mutation-selection processes [P. W. Anderson, 1983] or of evolving biological species [G. Weisbuch, 1984]. Some of the most striking aspects of our cognitive apparatus, involved In learning and recognttlon [J. Hopfield, 19821, can also be described in terms of stability and diversity in a suitable configuration space. These interpretations and preoccupations merge with those of theoretical biologists like S. Kauffman [1969] (genetic networks) and of mathematicians of automata theory: the dynamics of networks of automata can be interpreted in terms of organization of a system in multiple possible attractors. The present introduction outlInes the relationships between the contributions presented at the workshop and brIefly discusses each paper in its particular scientific context.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Conference on Ergonomics and Health Aspects of Work with Computers, EHAWC 2011, held within the framework of the 14th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2011, incorporating 12 thematically similar conferences. A total of 4039 contributions was submitted to HCII 2011, of which 1318 papers were accepted for publication. The 25 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the book. They are organized in topical sections on quality of working life; health and well-being; and interactive devices and interfaces.

Ziel des Workshops "Bildverarbeitung fur die Medizin" ist die Prasentation aktueller Forschungsergebnisse und die Vertiefung des Gesprachs zwischen Wissenschaftlern, Industrie und Anwendern. Die Beitrage dieses Bandes behandeln alle Bereiche der medizinischen Bildverarbeitung, darunter insbesondere die Themen molekulare Bildgebung, Animation, patientenindividuelle Simulation und Planung, computerunterstutzte Diagnose, biomechanische Modellierung, Bildverarbeitung in der Telemedizin, bildgestutzte Roboter und chirurgische Simulatoren.