An On-line Computer System for a Rehabilitation Hospital

Abstract

An on-line computer system has been implemented for processing medical information at the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research. The major objectives of the system are: 1. to improve the process of patient care by expediting the flow of information among, members, of .the rehabilitation team, 2. to facilitate the utilization of medical data for research purposes, 3. to enhance efficient hospital management, and 4. to obtain accurate data for an effective study of. the cost of hospitalization.The system consists of the following interrelated programs: a) recording- of physiological monitoring, b) on-line processing of data collected at the bedside, c) processing of laboratory data, d) on-line processing of results of physiological studies, e) processing of data pertaining to treatments administered to patients, f) on-line calculation of fluid and electrolyte requirements, and g) statistical analysis of the hospital census.The on-line computer facility is based on a time-shared teleprocessing system located at Baylor University College of Medicine and time-shared with various departments of the College. Remote terminal units installed at the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research are connected by cable with the computer at the College of Medicine.