Computer assistance in the practice of internal medicine

An overview is given of the possibilities of electronic support in the practice of internal medicine and of the preferred electronic environment in the hospital. For efficient exchange of information, mutual cooperation between all departments and medical specialists in the hospital is of great importance. The development of a sufficient hospital information system has to start with the composition of an information design, based on the concept of an open hospital database with connections to subsystems of the different departments and medical specialisms. Within this design basic, organizational, management and (medical) knowledge-providing programs can be applied. General, medical, scientific and organizational aspects of electronic support in internal medicine are discussed with some practical examples. A brief comment is made on the necessity of using code numbers for diagnoses.