The ISCHEM (Information System for Coronary Heart Evaluation and Management) is an information system capable of gathering, storing, retrieving, and analyzing medical record of patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). The medical record database system has been one of the most expectative and yet most difficult problems in the computerized medicine, and there have been few successful systems of the kind. Our five-year analysis and experiments on this subject has made it possible to design and implement ISCHEM at our clinic.
IHD is one of the major causes of death in Japan and the long term observation, evaluation and management of patients are key features for both practice of medicine and clinical study. In addition to basic functions, ISCHEM is especially aimed at (1) follow-up help for the patients, (2) visualization of the stored image data on a graphic display terminal, thus enabling doctors to grasp the problems of each patient at a glance, and (3) analysis of the stored data by statistical methods.
The ISCHEM was implemented on the general purpose computer system (ACOS 77/600) installed in our hospital. In order to realize the above functions, ISCHEM (1) has user-interface for both skilled and unskilled users which promotes effective interaction with the computer, (2) adopts bit-string technique for efficient storage and retrieval, and (3) has graphic display routines for presenting data on the coronary angiogram, left ventriculogram, and myocardial scintigram converted into illustrations simulating the original images.
Data are recorded by physicians on a _specially designed form and are used as input by clerical personnel, and utilized by medical staff members through CRT displays installed at several places in the hospital.
The ISCHEM has given a positive impact on our clinic and has been found to be effective for both patient care and the study of IHD and is expected to grow into a common database of IHD among our affiliated hospitals.
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