The general practice computer system project: a doctor's desktop for Australia

The Australian Department of Health and Family Services engaged the IBM con sulting practice to develop a functional specification and technical archit ecture for a General Practice computer system (GPCS) in January, 1997. The project was completed in September, 1997. This paper describes the rational e for development of the specification, the process that was undertaken and provides an overview of the completed specification and architecture. The paper also explores a number of issues related to computing in general prac tice which were raised during the consultative process, and considers facto rs which were found to be important in obtaining adoption and use of comput er technology on the doctor's desk. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.