ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter, a broad view of the different communication channels and serviceswas presented. In this chapter, some of the different technological options for communication system construction are discussed in more detail. In this respect, this material is a departure from the content of other chapters, which have sought to de-emphasize technology, and focus on its principled application. However, it is at present difficult to get a concise description of the basics of communication technology. Tanenbaum (2002) provides a comprehensive introduction to the area of computer networks, which will only be touched upon here. This chapter should thus serve as a technological introduction for those who need a deeper understanding of this area. Those without such an interest can move directly to the final chapter in this section, where we shall turn to examine communication problems in healthcare, and assess the roles that particular technologies can play in solving them.
