Computer-based monitoring of clinical care in a public psychiatric hospital unit

Hosp Community Psychiatry. 1987 Apr;38(4):381-6. doi: 10.1176/ps.38.4.381.

Abstract

A computer-based clinical monitoring system on a 40-bed university hospital psychiatric unit provides documentation to justify clinicians' diagnosis and choice of treatment and facilitates evaluation of patients' progress at scheduled intervals. The microcomputer system was developed to meet state guidelines for monitoring patients receiving neuroleptic drug treatment. A weekly status report generated for each patient alerts the treating physician to cases in which data do not justify clinical decisions, identifies potential problems, and suggests considering for discharge patients whose symptoms have sufficiently abated. The system is also useful in supervision and research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted
  • Drug Therapy, Computer-Assisted* / economics
  • Hospitals, Psychiatric*
  • Hospitals, Public*
  • Hospitals, State*
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mental Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Microcomputers
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychotropic Drugs / therapeutic use*
  • Texas
  • Therapy, Computer-Assisted* / economics

Substances

  • Psychotropic Drugs