As we approach the year 2000, the concept of a global health networked society is progressively becoming a reality. Technology barriers to connectivity, storage, and interface are fading while planetwide networks are rapidly developing. The explosion of health information, such as that produced by the unlocking of the human genetic code, can be counter-balanced by the availability of distributed knowledge banks. The need for continuous patient care as well as economic pressures has pushed various health sectors to collaborate to find optimal solutions. Health concerns cross international boundaries.