Introduction

In all Western countries, concerted efforts are undertaken to enhance the use of Information Technology (IT) in health care. National, regional and institutional projects abound to bring the shared Electronic Patient Record (EPR) into being, and to support the care process with order communication and decision support techniques. IT, it is hoped, can help reduce medical errors and increase the quality of health care delivery through optimizing communication. Likewise, extensive use of Internet technologies and electronic patient records could enhance the position of the patient (provide him/her with relevant medical information and access to their own records). Simultaneously, it could provide governments, payers and patient organizations with comparable information on the performance of individual professionals and organizations.