Supporting communication in an integrated patient record system.

Over the past two years, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has developed and implemented an integrated user interface front end that gives users a homogeneous view that supports directly the clinical workflow. This system, known as StarPanel, is a Web-based front end that integrates seamlessly all the functions needed for busy outpatient clinics. The key design concept is the ability to support communication as the fundamental activity of a health care team.