Electronic Data Processing of Medical Records

Abstract

THE need for better means of recording and retrieving data for medical records has become increasingly apparent.^{1 2 3} The tremendous accumulation of data reflects the use of more sophisticated laboratory procedures, the changing emphasis of medicine from acute to chronic problems and the increased attention to detailed recording of clinical observations. At St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, over a period of approximately one year, certain clinical observations and laboratory results were recorded via electronic data-processing equipment and thence transcribed for the patients' charts.It was hoped that a data-processing system would provide an organized, chronologic record of the factual information . . .