Developing a computerized ambulatory medical record to document health promotion and disease prevention activities...

The authors believe that the computerized medical record may enhance physician-delivered preventive services by providing timely individual feedback. Additionally, we note that interest in health promotion and disease prevention in the medical community as well as the general population has been increasing during the last decade. In response to this increased interest, we believe that health promotion and disease prevention activities should be conducted by every clinician and should include basic measures such as immunizations, appropriate screening tests, and advice and counseling about lifestyle. Additional investigation into the use of computers and computer-generated reminders to enhance the delivery of preventive services is needed.