Overview and Plans of the
Web Site of the MIM
www.bmia.be
Version 3, updated on 26 July 2008, by Etienne Saliez.
After 30 years, our work must be re-organized. The sending of papers takes too much time and is too expensive. If we are trying to introduce new technologies to other people, we should be using them ourselves!
The new working methods are based on an Information Centre on the Internet, in order to make more information directly available to all the members of the association.
The name of the site is based on an abbreviation of Belgian Medical Informatics Association. Unfortunately, the name " mim.be " was no more available.
This name, " www.bmia.be ", is defined at the national level, and will remain unchanged, even if the physical location of the server would be moved.
Most pages are written once in English. Informatics and medical members are assumed to have no problem with this and the use of English makes our site open to international exchange. However documents in our local languages, Flemish and French, are very welcome.
Introduction page
At opening this page gives immediately a short overview of the site.
When necessary, breaking news will appear on this first page.
Events
We will try to announce all events in the area of Medical Informatics, that could be of interest to our members.
The list should include all Medical Informatics events in Belgium, as well as some important meetings in neighboring countries. The list is sorted by date, but you may also use the "Find" function of your browser to go directly to a given keyword.
If you organize a conference and or an exhibition that is not yet presented here please send us a message. For example even a small specialized conference of 2 hours in an university department should be announced, insofar as it is open to invited MIM members.
Links to past events will remain available for at least one year.
Topics
The first group of links focus on organizations where the MIM is directly involved, i.e. the IMIA, the EFMI and the FAIB-FBVI.
The second group provides a list of links to other informatics associations in the healthcare domain, in Belgium as well as in some neighboring countries.
The most important standardization bodies are presented.
Prominent official organizations such as the Ministry of Health, European Telematics, Medical organizations, the WHO, etc..
The next group gives a provisional list of links to relevant healthcare software, to the extent that they are available in Belgium, and Internet addresses are available. Keep in mind that the MIM takes no responsibility for the content of the pages that are referenced. This provisional list is only a start. It should of course be extended.
Finally the last group provides other links of interest for our association, although their main focus is not necessarily informatics technologies. For example the HON, Health on the Net Foundation, the "National Library of Medicine" in the US, a list of the first Belgian hospitals which have their own web site, links to some medical associations (cancer, pharmacology, etc), etc…
An overview of the publications of the MIM.
In the future more and more documents will be published exclusively on the server. Traditional mailings will however continue, but their volume and frequency will be reduced in order to reduce costs. These papers will become a kind of remainders and references to the web site.
Nevertheless our web site should try to keep track of every publication of the members of the MIM. The objective is to improve contacts with colleagues working next door in Belgium on subjects which could be of interest to other members of the MIM.
The authors are invited to send E-Mails with the references of their new papers, as well as prominent earlier publications.
Working Groups
This page is still in development. It is intended to support the activities of specialized working groups and also to keep all the other members of the MIM informed of ongoing activities.
We want to know where expertise is available in Belgium. Working groups do not need to have many physical meetings, but are expected to maintain web pages showing comprehensive overviews of their specific areas. Working Groups will also be asked to present their work for discussion, on some occasions, at least once every 3 years. This could be organized as sessions during the yearly MIC congress, or maybe as simple evening conferences.
Volunteers are welcome to coordinate new groups and to provide information in dedicated web pages referred from this chapter. Proposals should be submitted to the board of the MIM.
Suggested topics are : Global Medical Records, Reliable Patient Identification, Hospital Information Systems, Nursing issues, Laboratories, Administrative Procedures, Images, Decision Support, access to Medical Knowledge, Education, Biomedical Research, Management Information, Epidemiology, Specific Developments related to medical specialities (cardiology, intensive care, pathology, …), Healthcare Network Architecture, Certification, Security, Healthcare Ethics Issues, etc…
About the MIM
On the first page, the chairman gives a welcome introduction : a short summary of the history and an overview of the objectives of the association.
The addresses of the board of the MIM.
Extending the list to all registered members will be considered in order to improve communication between our members. However, for privacy issues under Belgian Law, this would require explicit authorization of every person. A registration form will be sent to all members, in order to check names, addresses and Emails, and to confirm authorization for publication.
Mailings on paper will continue to be sent a few times a year, but the members with known Email addresses will be notified earlier when important new information is added to the server.
The continuity of Email addresses may be a problem. Email aliases referring to functions should be created. Although the individuals may changes after the elections, every 2 years, addresses like "chairman@bmia.be", "secretary@bmia.be", "treasurer@bmia.be" and "webmaster@bmia.be" will continue to go the right person doing the job (soon to be implemented).
It will also be considered to create for all members, Email aliases of type" FirstName.LastName@bmia.be ", referring to the current Email of each member. In this way members who move to a new environment, will continue to be found by means of the same address.
Registration form
Be very welcome to this site. If you find it useful, would you like to take care that your membership fee is OK.
Interested persons may propose their contribution to MIM activities. They will send their address, with their centre of interest and their qualifications. As you know, membership is in principle open to any individuals involved in Medical Informatics. Companies may also be registered as members and send several delegates.
The access to all pages of this new site is currently completely free on the Internet. In the future some pages will be reserved to the MIM members who have paid their annual membership.
If you want to receive a notification when this site is updated, you may register at NetMind, for the page www.bmia.be/Menu.html
Remarks
The MIM is a non profit association which was created in 1974 by a group of universities. The MIM seeks to maintain a scientific approach, according to the Internet HON Code of Conduct.
Commercial information could be presented, but will appear as such.
Efforts have been made to provide accurate information, but if an error appears, it would be fixed as soon as possible.
The information on this web site is primarily intended for the members of the MIM association, as well professionals involved in Medical Informatics.
The webmaster maintains the publication of information perceived as relevant for the members, but any controversial question would be ruled by the board of the MIM.
We need your remarks in order to improve the information.
We need your suggestions in order to extend this web site.
A mail button is available at the bottom of the main menu.
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