The importance of computer-based procedures for planning and documentationof orthopaedic surgery

The demand for efficiency in OR management and increase in the necessity of surgical documentation require the use of software applications in hospita ls. A client-server based OF-planning and documentation system has been in use in the department of orthopedic surgery in Giessen University since 199 2 and is being continously further developed. Aside from the lawful require ments, the demands of clinical doctors have been especially considered. The main functions are management of non medical patient data, scheduling and documentation of operations with coding of diagnoses and therapy, tissue ba nking, implant inventory, on call scheduling, storage of medical video imag es, clinical word processing and e-mail. With an integrated web-server, Med XS has the capabilities to offer functions accessible over any webbrowser ( Netscape(TM), Internet Explorer(TM)) in the internet or intranet. Through t he usage of this application clinical procedures could be more efficiently realized and better agreeing positions with the insurance companies could b e reached.