The application of a semiautomated postoperative care program in a community hospital: early results

The clinical involvement of computer technology in medical center environment has been successfully utilized in the postoperative care of patients following open intracardiac operations. This report describes the initial experience in a community hospital with the adaptation and evaluation of such a system in the postoperative care of critically ill patients. The early experience with this noncomputerized system suggests the clinical usefulness of the approach, the potential increase in manpower utilization, and the greater utilization of the nursing staff in true patient care. The early results of the study do not indicate that this approach to patient care is necessarily economically feasible or technically applicable in all community hospitals.