The computer in quality control of hemodialysis patient care

A computerized, custom-designed medical information system (MIS) has been used for more than eight years in the care of patients with chronic renal failure treated by hemodialysis in a Cincinnati medical center. A comprehensive clinical data base that forms the core of the system readily serves the need for sophisticated quality control analysis. Application of the MIS in the day-to-day management of patients in one limited care dialysis clinic is detailed, with particular attention to its capacity to contribute to the quality of care of the individual patient. Data can be stored in the system periodically with relative ease; this enables physicians, nurses, and other personnel concerned with patient care to monitor the quality of procedures and treatments used in their patients. The system is shown to be cost-effective.