MS2/Cardio: Towards a Multi-Service Medical Software for Cardiology

Abstract:

Many clinics are interested to use software packages in daily practice, but lack of integration of such packages seriously limits their scope. In practice this often entails switching between programs and interrupting the run of an individual program. A multi-task approach would not solve this problem as it would not eliminate the need to input the same data many times, as often occurs when using separate packages. The construction of a Multi-Service Medical Software package (MSx2) is described, which was also developed as an example of practical integration of some clinically relevant functions. The package runs on a personal computer in an MS-DOS environment and integrates a time-oriented medical record management unit (TOMRU) for data of ambulatory patients, and a drug information management unit (DIMU) concerning posology, content, effects, and possible interactions. Of the possible database configurations allowed by MSx2, the cardiology patient database (MSx2/C) and hypertensive patient database (MSx2/H) were developed and described here. Clinical information to be included in the configurations was obtained after discussion and consensus of clinical practitioners. MSx2/C was distributed to several hundred clinical centers during computerized courses to train future users. MSx2 can easily transfer patient data to statistical processing packages.

Key-Words

Time-Oriented Medical Record - Drug Information Management - Software Integration - Database Structure Configuration - Follow-Up Patient Data Management.

• REFERENCES

• 1 Stead WW, Hammond WE. Computer-based medical records: the need for storing a single datum in multiple orientations. In: Proceedings of Symp on Computer Application in Medical Care; 1988: 625-9.
• 2 Buscaroli A, Stagni B, Terni A, Stefoni S. Personal computer analysis of risk factors in kidney transplantation programmes. IEEE EMBS Int Conf 1989; 1920-1.
• 3 Lowe HJ, Barnett GO, Scott J, Mallon L, Blewett DR. Remote access MicroMeSH: Evaluation of a microcomputer system for searching the MEDLINE database. In: Proceedings of Symp on Computer Application in Medical Care 1989; 445-7.
• 4 Zelano JA, Mackintosh R, Hirsch J. A Personal computer based system for heart rate variability studies. IEEE EMBS Int Conf 1989; 6-7.
• 5 Cimino JJ, Hupp JA, Hoffer EP, Famiglietti KT, Barnett GO. DXPLAIN: An interactive knowledge base for assistance in medical diagnostic decision. IEEE EMBS Int Conf 1987; 1528-9.
• 6 Quaglini S, Stefanelli M, Barosi G, Berzuini A. ANEMIA: An expert consultation system. Comp Biomed Res 1986; 19: 13-27.
• 7 Agnifili A, Di Stefano G, Pavone P, Buoni C, Passariello R. An electronic system for integrated management of patient’s data and radiological images. IEEE EMBS Int Conf 1989; 11916-7.
• 8 O’Desky RI, Ball MJ, Ball EE. Computers in health care for the 21st Century. Meth Inform Med 1990; 29: 158-61.
• 9 Van Mulligen EM, Langhout A, Timmers T, de Faria BLeao. Software integration on a Medical Workstation. In: Software Engineering in Medical Informatics. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publ; 1991: 167-80.
• 10 Pinciroli F. ed. Informatica di Base per la Medizina. Frenze, Italy: UTET; 1991
• 11 Pinciroli F, Meester G. eds. Databases for Cardiology. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publ; 1991
• 12 Jung D, Brennecke R, Kottmeyer M, Hering R, Clas W, Erbel R, Meyer J. Tree-Base: a query language for a time-oriented cardiology database system. In: Proceedings of Computers in Cardiology 1986; 381-4.
• 13 Langer RD. TALMRS: Time-affinity linked medical record system. In: Proceedings of Symp on Computer Applications in Medical Care 1987; 271-4.
• 14 Stead WW, Hammond WE. Demand-oriented medical records: Toward a physician work station. In: Proceedings of Symp on Computer Applications in Medical Care 1987; 275-80.
• 15 Mr. Tod User’s Guide. Seattle (WA): Retriever Data System; 1987
• 16 L’lnformatore Farmaceutico. Milano: Annuario Italiano dei Medicamenti e dei Laboratori, Organizzazione Editoriale Medico-Farmaceutica; 1989
• 17 Repertoria Farmaceutico Italiano, a Cura della Farmindustria. Milano: Centra Editoriale Documentazione sul Farmaco; 1989
• 18 Medico e Paziente, I Farmaci della Medicina Pratica. Milano: Edifarm; 1989
• 19 Hansten PD. Drug Interactions. Philadelphia PA: Lea & Febiger; 1985
• 20 Rizack MA, Hillman C. The Medical Letter Handbook of Adverse Drug Interaction. New Rochelle: The Medical letter Inc; 1985
• 21 Pinciroli F, Pozzi G. A Drug-to-Drug interaction package. Comp Meth Progr Biomed 1989; 28: 183-9.
• 22 Physicians’ Desk Reference on CD-ROM. Oradell NJ: Medical Economics Company; 1988
• 23 Hogan RW. Drug Interactions Advisor. Baltimore MD: Williams & Wilkins; 1986
• 24 Elmasri R, Navathe SB. Fundamentals on Database Systems. Redwood City CA: Benjamin/Cummings; 1989
• 25 Thuzilin A, Clifford J. A temporal relational algebra as a basis for temporal relational completeness, Technical Report. New York University: 1989