Working methods

Umbrella organization and exchange platform

With the development of large national and, in part, European-wide and international research networks, over the past few years medical research has entered new territory.  Patient-oriented research at different locations creates organizational, legal and technological problems for which commercial solutions are not always available. Many of these issues can be solved independently of the clinical issue or research focus. As an exchange platform, the TMF is responsible for assisting researchers in identifying needs, in formulating solutions and in making products and services available. As an umbrella organization it pools and communicates the concerns and issues affecting the research community.

Depending on the medical specialization, solutions are already available for many problems. which can be developed further and made available to the entire research community in the TMF. The role of the TMF working groups is to identify existing approaches and to initiate the development of new solutions. When developing telematics solutions, the TMF is particularly able to address the needs of medical research networks beyond commercial interests. This helps avoid the duplication of work and thus, in light of the limited budgets available, takes considerable pressure off science-driven research.

The TMF produces expert opinions, studies, concepts, requirements specifications, services and tools. The results cover the entire process from identification of the problem through formulation of a practical solution and technical implementation. The work that is jointly developed in the TMF is then made available to the research community. It includes the publication of concepts and expert opinions in the TMF book series, the provision of documents and IT applications via the TMF website, and training and consultation services for the working groups.