[Word processing of medical records and epicrises at a hospital department]

In January 1988 a pilot project was initiated at the Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Tromsø, to explore the possible use of word processing in routine operations of patient documentation. The project was evaluated at the end of ten months, and had resulted in a reduction of approximately 25% in the required written operations. Other notable results were reduced use of extra staff and overtime, and a general improvement in the staff's working conditions. The department's doctors reported no deterioration in the quality of the patient documentation produced using the new procedures. The successful outcome of the project was made possible by using the hospital's internal resources to develop suitable procedures for the instruction and supervision of the relevant staff, to install equipment, and to prepare a users' manual.