Computers and research in family practice.

In the 1960s and 1970s, computers required user expertise and were expensive, relatively inflexible, and not `user friendly'.Consequently, the use of computers in family practice research was limited to a few centres where facilities and personnel were available. However, by the end of the 1970s, `user friendly' microcomputers were available. These allow a physician to store, study and analyze large sets of data at a reasonable cost. At present, microcomputers can be used for word processing, data management, data surveillance, statistical analysis, simulated patient encounters and modelling. They can also assist with medical decision making. In future, family physicians may be able to combine their individual practice data bases to produce community, district or nationwide data banks, and to manage large clinical trials with the aid of computers.