A consultant pharmacist's use of a portable microcomputer at several skilled nursing facilities

A consultant pharmacist used a portable microcomputer and a private on-line host system in order to produce drug regimen review letters more efficiently. The portable computer was a Tandy Radio Shack Model-100, and the host system was a Sperry-PC running the MIST+ telecommunications software. The portable computer stored three letter templates used by the consultant pharmacist to prepare letters sent to physicians. After doing a drug regimen review, the consultant pharmacist edited one of the random access memory resident letter templates corresponding to the type of letter which needed to be sent to a patient's physician. The letters consisted of information concerning the drugs and diagnoses of patients at various skilled nursing facilities. The consultant pharmacist personalized the letter templates by editing the physician's name and address, patient's name, skilled care facility name, patient's room number, diagnosis, medications, and pharmacist's recommendations. After the letters were edited at the facility, the letters were then "telecomputed to" and archived on the host system. Personalized letters were then printed and sent to the consultant pharmacist, patient's physician, skilled care facility administrator, skilled nursing facility medical director, and charge nurse. The consultant pharmacist, facility administrators, physicians, and nurses have responded favorably to this computerized practice innovation for consultant pharmacists.