ABSTRACT

As recently as ten years ago, there were few practices using computers. Some practices succumbed to the blandishments of suppliers of clinical systems who provided free equipment and software in return for access to anonymized patient data. The availability of data on the Internet in recent years has meant that doctors can gain up-to-date information from colleagues on clinical subjects at the press of a button. There is no effective mechanism for monitoring information on the Internet at the moment and so some of the data currently available are not always strictly accurate. The NHSNet which is planned for the National Health Service (NHS) in the future will permit practices to link more effectively with each other, with hospital trusts, health authorities and pharmacies. The change to primary care groups will necessitate networking practice and community staff computers together with local providers' systems to one main server.