Computers in psychiatry: a review of past programs and an analysis of historical trends

In a variety of clinical settings, computers are playing an increasing role in managing or retrieving clinical information. A recent survey of physician computer use suggests that psychiatrists, in comparison to other types of medical specialists, may be using computers less in routine care. In this paper, we present a literature review of 57 articles on computer programs in psychiatry that were published since 1966 in five major peer-reviewed journals. We divide the types of programs that have been developed into four categories: (1) diagnostic and decision support, (2) patient screening and therapy, (3) data collection and management, and (4) data modeling. Among the first three categories, we found trends in publications during the past three decades of research. We provide a discussion of representative computer programs. Our analysis of past programs reveals a number of design problems that may be a barrier to the more widespread use of computers in psychiatry.