[Acquiring otoneurological results by computer. Evaluation after 2 years of experience]

Nearly all test performed in audiology and vestibulometry are based on quantitative paradigms and lead to results expressed in numerical form that are well suited for computer processing. Since 1980, the Oto-rhino-laryngology department of the Geneva University Hospital stores the complete patient record with all the results obtained in the otoneurological investigations (audiogram, impedance measurements, binaural tests, auditory-evoked potentials, electro-nystagmogram) on floppy disks using a PDP-11 micro-computer equipped with a low-speed printer and a Tektronix 4010 graphics terminal with an attached hard-copy unit. One of the main advantages of such a computer system is the gain in time for secretarial work such as patient record updating and archival. All test results are manually entered on a keyboard and the computer automatically produces reports with tables and graphs. The storage of patient files on floppy disks is fast, consumes little space and makes possible all types of statistical studies on the recorded clinical data. One should, however, be aware of the fact that the daily clinical use of even such a small computer system requires a solid technical infrastructure and lots of programming time. Nevertheless, the balance of our two years experience with this system is clearly positive and we foresee that the computer will become more and more an appreciated technical tool for several types of clinical work.