ICW eHealth Technology
networks effectively across the entire health care community.
ICW to Supply NextGen Network Adapters in Austria
Vienna, 12/09/2009
The Health Information Network Adapter – German Gesundheits-Informationsadapter, GINA – is a central component of the Health Information Network (Gesundheitsinformationsnetz, GIN). With it, medical practices in Austria can communicate with e-Card servers that enable them to summon coverage information from the e-Card system or to send claims for reimbursement to health insurers. In coming years, existing GINAs will be replaced during routine maintenance servicing by new, more powerful devices from ICW. Overall, ICW will produce 13,000 GINAng adapters for e-Card providers Telekom Austria AG, Tele2 and UPC.
Forward-looking technology
“This new hardware replaces not only existing devices, it also forms the basis for modern, 21st century eHealth solutions“,” said Christoph Hugl, ICW General Manager for Austria. “We are gratified that our product was chosen for the new GINA generation, and that ICW can play a role in implementing forward-looking health telematics in Austria.”
The decision in favor of InterComponentWare came as no surprise to the national association of Austrian social insurance providers: “We have come to know ICW as a supremely competent provider of services in the area of health telematics. ICW had already made a fundamental contribution to the software of the first-generation GINA. So we view the future of GINA as standing on a solid foundation,” said association spokesman Volker Schörghofer.
Demand for highest quality throughout the Network
Over GINAng, private medical offices connect to the Health Information Network. This is a closed network, accessible only to users from the health care sector, whose difference from other networks lies in its high standard of security, availability and quality. For that reason, GINAng places high value on cryptography and data protection.
The GINAng is intended for use by end users through 2015, which is why long-range concepts were key. The ICW solution provided the technical hardware basis for existing and future applications and programs. “The result is not just that the current programs run more simply and quickly, it is also a good basis upon which the ‘e-Card’ success story can continue,” said Hugl.
ICW business fields
ICW offers intelligent IT solutions for the comprehensive networking for all parts of the health system. The company works hard to simplify and optimize data exchange and communication between the providers of medical services in hospitals and medical practices on the one hand and patients and cost bearers on the other. The two principal goals are to further improve the quality of medical care while unleashing potentials for added efficiency.
As a part of its ongoing process of reorientation, ICW is concentrating its efforts in the four core areas of intersectoral communication, care management, integrated health care, and personal health management. The objective is to improve the flow and exchange of information in and between these four areas. Strategic partnerships to develop and integrate health information exchange services, notably the one with GE Healthcare, are an additional goal.
For more information please contact:
Christoph Hugl
Tel.: +43 (0) 1 890 24 82 11
christoph.hugl@icw-global.com
