SIGBIO (Panel Session) Computer systems and the quality of health care

This session will examine some of the commercially supplied computer systems designed for specific health care applications in order to determine state of the art, present capabilities, and capacity for future extensions. The applications to be discussed involve the use of the general programming language MUMPS, the PATHLAB system developed for clinical laboratories by Medlab Computer Services, the Nuclear Data MED II system for nuclear medicine, and the BD Spear system for the clinical pharmacy. Although all speakers are from general medical centers, the usefulness of such computer systems for the community hospital or clinic will be discussed. Finally, the possible extensions of such systems for data integration, cost containment, standards accountability, and archival research will consider the future environments in which health care may be delivered.