RESUMEN
According to the Finnish National Fund for Research and Development in the information society, knowledge is the basis of education and culture and the most important production factor. ICT significantly promotes interaction and exchange between individuals, business enterprises and other organisations, utilisation of information, and provision of services and access to them. Our project is one of approximately 300 projects which are developing seamless social and health care ICT services in Finland [P. Ruotsalainen, Asiakaslähtöinen palveluketju ja tietote-knologia, Kirjassa: Nouko-S. Juvonen, P. Ruotsalainen, I. Kiikkala (toim), Hyvinvointivaltion palveluketjut. Hygieia. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Tammi, Tammer-Paino Oy, Tampere, 2000]. The principal aim is both to research and create a new model for social and health care services and to disseminate the know-how brought about for the benefit of software enterprises and educational institutes. A product called Maternity Clinic on the Net is developed in the project, and it can be applied to the national and international social and health care services.