title: Protocols for unifying distributed systems in hospitals.
abstract: Data pertinent to any one hospital patient are often distributed across several independent heterogeneous computer systems serving different functional areas of the hospital. A global, integrated hospital information system can evolve from this situation if existing computer systems are linked by a local area network and the systems are modified to employ a set of protocols that enable information exchange. This paper provides a high-level description of the required protocol functions.
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D006747:Hospital Communication Systems; D007256:Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008331:Management Information Systems; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D013597:Systems Analysis