Medical informatics is the discipline concerned with information and information streams in health care. The development of information technology has been intensified in recent years and is now influencing the international development within the health care sectors. During the coming decade, integrated hospital networks will supple communication within and between hospitals. New productivity measures useful in administrative planning are being developed. Patient data are being digitalized and stored electronically, and interactive media are implemented in education. Primarily, however, chip-based technologies find application in the evaluation of the increasing quantity of paraclinical data. Internationally product development and research are actively underway. The EEC has established development programmes specifically stimulating these activities. Is Denmark going to take an active part in this development, formalized frames are required.