The microcomputer in the emergency department: a clinical information center.

A microcomputer system was developed for the Tri-City Hospital Emergency Department to serve as a clinical information center. The system is being used to better allocate resources, both personnel and materials, to accurately assess the nature of the problems presenting to the emergency department, to aid in the diagnosis and laboratory test interpretation, to improve the quality of care, to serve as an epidemiological tool and to help in the education of emergency care personnel.