The Principal Objectives of the REFUGEE HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK (RHIN) are: 1) To improve a) access and b) exchange of medical information by state and local public health departments and other health professionals, refugee service providers, and refugee consumers. 2) To develop a database of refugee health information. 3) To identify and make accessible culturally and linguistically appropriate health and medical information in order to improve health services for refugees. 4) To develop and elaborate new methods for the electronic interchange of relevant information. 5) To enable and encourage a """"""""culture of information sharing and communications"""""""" among health care providers who specialize in refugee health. To do this, a collaborative partnership will be formed to develop an information network that will enable resettled refugees, their health care providers and public health administrators to gain access to information relevant to refugee health. This network will include a searchable web site and database, and will be linked to existing sites specializing in refugee health, as well as medical information sites from the National Library of Medicine and other credible sources of health information. The proposed system will also facilitate communication between health professionals involved in refugee health by using email and a list serve to keep all subscribed users informed and in contact with each other.
