The impact of computers on patient care and research: the pentobarbital coma experience.

Computer applications to patient care in an intensive care unit are examples the potential computers hold for health care, education, and research. The clinical application of a computer system to research and patient care in a selected research population, the pentobarbital coma study group, is described. The computer has been valuable in research for its data collecting and processing capabilities. It has also allowed the nursing staff to devote more time to patient care activities.