This document is a SEC filing (Form 10-K) by Baxter International Inc. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998. It provides an overview of Baxter's businesses, including that it operates in four segments: Blood Therapies, I.V. Systems/Medical Products, Renal, and CardioVascular. It also summarizes recent acquisitions, discusses Baxter's markets in the United States and internationally, and notes that Baxter conducts some business through joint ventures.