The Development of On-Line History-Taking Systems in Antenatal Care

Abstract

The main purpose of the first antenatal visit (booking visit) is to obtain a full history. This information is used to assess risk and plan further management. We have developed an on-line microcomputer system to obtain and reproduce this antenatal »booking« history. The study was designed to provide a formal evaluation of these programs by comparing the traditional and computerised methods. A cross-over study showed that the computer provided a much more complete history with an average of 16 additional items. Further analysis showed that much of this information was of such importance as to warrant specific action on the part of the clinician. Little extra time was required to obtain this improvement in detail and a high degree of consumer acceptance was recorded.