9. Glossary

Analogue

Analogue data is transmitted as sound waves. This means it can be transmitted over standard telephone or radio networks.

Communication technology

Technologies used to transmit data. May be either analogue or digital.
There is a wide range of communication technologies available. These fall into two broad groups of either cable (land) based or wireless. Wireless technologies include radio, microwave and satellite. Wireless technologies generally require less infrastructure, but can be more expensive to use than cable based technologies

Digital

Digital data is transmitted in digital bits. It requires a digital connection, or it must be converted to analogue data by a modem. Digital connections are much faster than analogue networks, but are currently very expensive to install and maintain.

E-mail

Electronic messages exchanged between computers. This can take place on a local level over a network or on a global level over the Internet. It can operate effectively at any connection speed. E-mail is subject to standards and protocols to ensure that it can be exchanged regardless of the computer systems of the end users.

Information technology

Technologies based on the use of computers and other integrated circuits to process data and produce information.

Internet

The Internet is a global network of computers that provides the infrastructure for e-mail, the WWW and a number of other modalities.
In the context of this document, the use of the term "the Internet" almost always refers to e-mail only. The rural regions of most parts of the world do not have the telecommunications infrastructure to provide the access speeds required for the WWW.

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web (WWW) is the graphical interface to the Internet. It requires a relatively high-speed connection to the Internet. The WWW is governed by a set of standards and protocols to ensure that it can be accessed regardless of the computer systems of the end users.

WHO

World Health Organisation

Half duplex voice

Voice connection between two parties where only one party can talk at any time. Common in radio transmissions.

Full duplex voice

Voice connection between two parties where both parties can talk at any time, eg most telephones.

Fax or facsimile

Transmission of printed material over standard telephone lines between dedicated fax machines

Bandwidth

The capacity to transmit data by a communication technology. The higher the bandwidth the faster the transfer of data, which is usually measured in bits of data/sec. Higher bandwidth is almost always more expensive to install and use.

HL 7

A security protocol and set of standards being developed and implemented, mainly in the USA. Not necessarily compatible with EDIFACT.

EDIFACT

A security protocol and set of standards being developed and implemented, mainly in the European Community. Not necessarily compatible with HL 7.