The use of instant medical history in a rural clinic. Case study of the use of computers in an Arkansas physician's office.

This study evaluated the acceptance of using computers to take a medical history by rural Arkansas patients. Sex, age, race, education, previous computer experience and owning a computer were used as variables. Patients were asked a series of questions to rate their comfort level with using a computer to take their medical history. Comfort ratings ranged from 30 to 45, with a mean of 36.8 (SEM = 0.67). Neither sex, race, age, education, owning a personal computer, nor prior computer experience had a significant effect on the comfort rating. This study helps alleviate one of the concerns--patient acceptance--about the increasing use of computers in practicing medicine.