Using BITNET to access the National Library of Medicine databases

An ongoing developmental project is described that uses the National Library of Medicine (NLM) GRATEFUL MED software on the BITNET network to access the NLM databases. The objective of the project is to improve biomedical communication capabilities to support health professionals in countries where international telecommunication services are limited. After a successful demonstration of the concept, the system was assembled and tested by the University of Chile and NLM. The full impact of this project will be measured at a later time. This paper describes the concept and testing of the system in Latin American countries.