Despite the social and economic importance of biomedical and health research, it is only fairly recently that the European Community became involved in research and technological development in this research sector. The general goal of the programme is clearly to contribute to a better quality of life by improving health, and its distinctive feature is to strengthen European collaboration in order to achieve this goal. The ultimate goal of the biomedical engineering part of the programme has been to contribute to the improvement of the quality of health care, as well as to the containment of its costs. Health technology assessment has gained further importance in view of the completion of the internal market within the EC. Such assessment may provide essential information for decision making at all levels (i.e. political, health services, medical).

Objective medical decision~making has shown itself to be an emerging discipline which is sufficiently robust to promote its further development. This book identifies many important areas for applications in the field of acute patient care. The different approaches require testing, evaluation and mutual co~parisons to ensure that the right method is used to solve the existing problem. Medical sciences and patient care are increasingly supported by system sciences, resulting in growing multi- and interdisciplinary research and development areas. In this context, system sciences involve the methods, techniques, concepts and approaches obtained f~om disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, stochastic signal theory, fuzzy set theory, systems and control theory, signal analysis, pattern recogni tion, simulation, computer languages, structured programming, data base management and computer sciences. This book contains the papers of a workshop "Objective Medical Decision making f Systems approach in acute disease" which was initia ted and supported by the SWG/COMAC on Biomedical Engineering, Evaluation of Technology, Transfer and Standardization of CRM/CREST of the European Community. In setting up the original programme we have been assisted by a group of experts and for their cooperation we are very gratef.ul to S. Dawids, Copenhagen E. Epple, Tlibingen ; J. Jones, Harrow; L. Lambotte, Brussels C. Marchesi, Pisa and D. Robert, Lyon. The papers have been arranged in four groups, each followed by a brief synopsis. The four groups are : diagnosis, monitoring, therapy and control, and evaluation of criteria and procedures.