What is the value of the computer for the physician?

Computer technology is advancing at an increasingly rapid rate. Although the computer's former role in the health care field was primarily limited to the financial and marketing departments of health care facilities, the computer is moving beyond the managerial departments and into the realm of the practicing physician. Much of this change in the use of computers in this field is due to the pressures of cost containment, DRG requirements, the availability of microcomputers, and the desire for improved health care. In the areas of clinical care, medical research, and medical education, the computer is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool through its technological adaptation. The computer is an obvious adjunct to the problem of improving cost efficiency without compromising the efforts toward better health care.