Constructing a financial case for a computerized patient data management system (PDMS) in a cardiothoracic intensive care unit

A number of claims are made for computerized patient data management system s (PDMS) which make them of interest to medical and nursing staff who wish to optimize patient care. Comparatively little has been published concernin g cost effectiveness of these systems. In this article a financial case is put forward based on the premise that a PDMS can save nursing time, and thi s saving can then be translated into employing a smaller nursing workforce. An analysis of the relevant costs suggests that over an 8-year period thes e systems can show substantial profits, but it is also suggested that more research is required to substantiate this finding.