This volume contains an introduction to the AIM Exploratory Action and contributions by the forty-two projects with brief descriptions of their results. Contributions have been included on the three areas of general interest in which AIM took an active part, namely data protection and confidentiality, patient data cards, and standardization.

The enthusiasm of the project partners, the interest of outsiders in the results, and the support by our colleagues inspired us to produce this volume. It is meant to be a summing up and a guide to bring the reader to those experts in whose work he might be interested.

Annex 1 lists the authors; annex 2 the projects with their managers, addresses, project partners, and main documents on scientific and technical work performed; annex 3 is a subjects index; and annex 4 lists the public documents produced during the AIM Exploratory Action.

We would like to express our gratitute to the contributors for their efforts. Working with them made the production of this volume pleasant as well as instructive. As usual the task took far more time than anticipated.

Jaap Noothoven van Goor

Jens Pihlkjær Christensen

Brussels, November 29th, 1991