The MIC (Medische Informatica Congres, Medical Informatics Congress) has a long tradition in Belgium and in The Netherlands. It started in 1978 in Rotterdam and was followed in 1979 in Antwerp. For its 20th edition, it is held in Brussels (5-7 December 2002). MICs were organised since their beginning by two national societies for medical informatics: MIM in Belgium (Medische Informatica, Informatique M dicale) and VMBI in the Netherlands (Vereniging voor informatie verwerking in de zorg). They attracted regularly up to 400 participants. MIC 2002 is organised in association with the Healthcare Telematics in Belgium symposium of the Belgian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs and Public Health. These two Conferences share new trends in health informatics, such as local standards for patient records and for hospital information systems, messages exchanges and privacy protection, as well as on line health networks. This book deals also with more academic subjects like clinical research and e-learning, as well as with specific applications in relation to nursing, pharmacy and general practice. This collection of papers presents many timely new ideas and practical proposals. Hoping that these MIC 2002 proceedings will help to develop further collaboration in the field of health informatics in these two countries and in Europe.