A computerized prenatal record

An entirely computerized ambulatory medical record system is operational in a large health maintenance organization. A unique subsystem was designed for use in prenatal care, in which the provider's completion of a single encounter form at the time of visit meets all the information requirements of care delivery, administration, and quality assurance. Instead of using a conventional paper chart, computer-generated summaries and flow charts are automatically provided for scheduled visits and for use as a hospital preadmission record, significantly reducing the provider effort expended on record keeping. On-line inquiry function is also available using terminals at the ambulatory center and the hospital. The computer data base has been used for quality assurance studies in prenatal care. The system is well accepted by providers, is reliable, and is cost effective.