title: Implementing computerized tracking at a community health center: challenges and solutions.
abstract: A computerized tracking system for both preventive care and chronic disease tracking was implemented at a community health center, using a PC based local area network interfaced with a mainframe scheduling and billing system. Initial database construction used downloads of historical billing data, but ongoing database maintenance is accomplished by using an optical mark-sense scanner to construct both billing and clinical tracking files from custom-designed encounter forms. In this way, expanded clinical data is collected with an actual reduction in manually keyed data, reducing the ongoing cost of the system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, NC.
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wofford
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hamrick
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doby
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spence
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Velez
mesh_terms: D000555:Ambulatory Care Information Systems / Q000191:economics; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003201:Computers; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008122:Local Area Networks; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000191:economics; D009657:North Carolina; D012984:Software