Computer-assisted patient-care management

A computer-assisted patient-care management system is currently operating in two patient-care units as part of a pilot project at the Hôpital Cardiologique, a member institution of the Hospices Civils de Lyon. The system includes the management of administrative records (notice of admission set to the patient-care unit, appointment for admission sent to the patient, notice of admission set to the physician requesting hospitalization, admissions and discharges, patient census) and of patient-care records (orders, examinations, laboratory tests, medications, injections and treatments, a summary list or orders to be carried out during the day, labels for laboratory specimens and requistions for the tests and examinations to be performed); and the medical management of the patient (clinical summary of patient status at admission, results of tests and examinations, summary of hospitalization, data for research and statistics). Computerization was begun in 1977, following the implementation of individualized patient-care records in 1976. The system will be evaluated in 1978 and extended to the remainder of the hospital (18 patient-care units) by the end of 1979.