Archie: the use of a microcomputer in an allergy clinic

Area of Science:

• Clinical Allergy and Immunology
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Traditional allergy history taking can be time-consuming and may lack standardization.
• Improving the efficiency and accuracy of patient data collection is crucial in allergy diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a computer-assisted system for allergy history taking.
• To enhance the quality and efficiency of data collection for patients with asthma or rhinitis.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 57 UK allergy clinics identified current practices.
• A microcomputer system was developed to gather detailed patient histories.
• The program automatically suggested allergy tests based on patient responses.

Main Results:

• The computer program successfully obtained detailed allergy histories from patients.
• It automatically recommended relevant allergy tests, aiding clinical decisions.
• Patient records were digitized for storage and analysis, improving data management.
• Patients reported positive acceptance and enjoyment of the computer interrogation process.

Conclusions:

• Computer-assisted allergy history taking is an efficient and effective method.
• This approach improves data quality and patient record management for asthma and rhinitis.
• The system offers a cost-effective solution for allergy clinics.