Computerized histories facilitate patient care in a termination of pregnancy clinic: the use of a small computer to obtain and reproduce patient information.
An inexpensive microcomputer has been programmed to obtain histories from patients attending a pregnancy termination clinic. The system is nurse-interactive; yes/no and multiple-choice questions are answered on the visual display unit by a light pen. Proper nouns and discursive text are typed at the computer keyboard. A neatly formatted summary of the history is then provided by an interfaced printer. The history follows a branching pattern; of the 370 questions included in the program, only 68 are answered in the course of an average history. The program contains numerous error traps and the user may request explanations of questions which are not immediately understood. The system was designed to ensure that no factors of anaesthetic or medical importance would be overlooked in the busy out-patient clinic. The computer provides a much more complete history with an average of 42 more items of information than the pre-existing manual system. This system is demanding of nursing time and possible conversion to a patient-interactive system is discussed. A confidential questionnaire revealed a high degree of consumer acceptance.
Lilford
R J
RJ
Bingham
P
P
Bourne
G L
GL
Chard
T
T
D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D003201:Computers; D005260:Female; D006753:Hospital Records; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011996:Records; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires