Copy management in a shared care environment using the Internet.

A new approach to sharing medical records using a demand-based database replication method and the Internet e-mail facility is proposed. The underlying model allows subscribed physicians to collect patient records from distant nodes and have local access to these records when needed. A system called the Internet-Based Distributed Medical Information System has been developed and implemented in a shared care environment comprising outpatient clinics, independent practitioners, and diagnostic laboratories. This tool may be highly beneficial in improving coordination among health care professionals and reducing unnecessary repeat investigations.