OBSTETRIC EDP ON A PC

Update computer technology is an increasingly useful tool in medicine for more accurate documentation, avoidance of multiple documentation, improvement of service performance, quicker and easier data processing and evaluation and hence quality assurance. We developed an obstetric data recording programme for an IBM compatible personal computer acco rding to the MS-DOS command programme. A laser printer with dual paper feed is available. The relational database system Clipper is used for programming. The programme comprises at present 179 data fields and i s subdivided on the input side into: data on anamnesis and partus, cou rse of puerperium, infant data. This gives the print-outs: birth proto col, adhesive labels for the temperature curves of the mother and of t he infant, respectively, birth record book and mother-infant health pa ssport, furthermore, list print-outs: infant record book, transferred/ decreased infants, birth lists relating to midwives, and, in addition, physician's report on the mother and the child, and finally, automate d monthly and annual statistics. From August 1990 to July 1992, all ev ents were stored by the computer, so that a total of 5,572 data items have been recorded to date. The primary scope of recording was 98.4 % already in the first year of full operation of the database. Computer feed-in was effected directly after each data item became available. A pplication is fully integrated into normal clinical everyday work. To ensure best possible motivation and acceptance, special attention was paid to user friendliness and immediate print-outs whenever required. Attention was also given to the inclusion of infant follow-up data. Th e computer programme has been accepted for daily operation, and the ne cessary data quality has been attained by means of proper choice of th e appropriate user groups and manifold measures to ensure integration, safe working, continual servicing and creation of suitable working an d data feed conditions.