Computer-Based Monitoring and Data Management in Critical Care

F. Wiener; M. H. Weil

doi:10.1055/s-0038-1636436

Methods of Information in Medicine, Table of Contents

Methods Inf Med 1978; 17(04): 252-260
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1636436

Original Article

Schattauer GmbH

Computer-Based Monitoring and Data Management in Critical Care^[*]

COMPUTERUNTERSTÜTZTE ÜBERWACHUNG UND DATENVERWALTUNG IN DER INTENSIVMEDIZIN

F. Wiener

¹From the Institute of Critical Care Medicine, the Shock Research Unit of the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and the Center for the Critically III, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

,

M. H. Weil

¹From the Institute of Critical Care Medicine, the Shock Research Unit of the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and the Center for the Critically III, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

A monitoring system which has the dual role of delivering patient care and providing a facility for clinical research requires extensive capabilities for data management, storage, and display. The system developed for the Critical Care Ward in USC's Center for the Critically 111 is described. The patient data file was designed to make maximum use of available space while maintaining flexibility and easy access for data retrieval. The contents of each patient's file is defined by the patient data outline which comprises the first record in his file. The file consists of a series of data summaries each of which combines a set of data elements logically interconnected or measured simultaneously. Disk sectors are allocated to a patient's file as the need arises. The file is concatenated by a series of location pointers. The patient data file is shared by the records of patients being monitored and those recalled from tape for data searches, with the former taking precedence when the available space is limited. The use of the patient data file in clinical research is illustrated and anticipated improvements are discussed.

Ein Überwachungssystem, das die doppelte Aufgabe hat, Patienten zu versorgen und eine Möglichkeit für klinische Forschimg zu bieten, benötigt weitgehende Fähigkeiten zur Datenverwaltung, Speicherung und Anzeige. Das für die Intensivstation im USC-Zentrum für Schwerkranke entwickelte System wird hier beschrieben. Die Patientendatei wurde entworfen, um den verfügbaren Raum bestmöglich auszunutzen und gleichzeitig die Flexibilität und den bequemen Zugriff für die Datenwiederauffindung aufrechtzuerhalten. Der Inhalt jeder Patientendatei wird bestimmt durch die Patientenidentifizierung, die die erste Eintragung in seiner Datei umfaßt. Die Datei besteht aus einer Reihe von Datensummationen, von denen jede einen Satz von Datenelementen zusammenfaßt, die logisch miteinander verbvuiden sind oder gleichzeitig gemessen werden. Plattenbereiche werden — je nach Bedarf — einer Patientendatei zugeordnet. Die Datei wird durch eine Reihe von Pointern verknüpft. Die Patientendatei wird mitbenutzt für Eintragungen von überwachten Patienten und für solche Daten, die für Suchzwecke vom Band abgerufen werden, wobei die ersteren den Vorrang haben, wenn der verfügbare Raum beschränkt ist. Die Benutzung der Patientendatei in der klinischen Forschung wird erläutert, vorgesehene Verbesserungen werden erörtert.

Keywords

Computer-Based Monitoring - Critical Care Ward - Intensive Care - Data Retrieval

Schlüssel-Wörter

Automatische Patientenüberwachung - Schwerkrankenstation - Intensivmedizin - Datenverfügbarkeit

Full Text

References

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Computer-Based Monitoring and Data Management in Critical Care[*]

Computer-Based Monitoring and Data Management in Critical Care^[*]