The writing of this text arose through the opportunity of one author (D.F.) to spend a sabbatical leave studying the developments within the Stockholm County health operations. The computerization project that had started virtually 10 years previously. focussed on the Danderyd hospital. had received continuing attention in the world scene. It therefore seemed an appropriate site for study for one charged with responsibility for developing computerized hospital information systems. An intent to assemble a private report became an attempt to write a public monograph when it was discovered that the leaders of the Stockholm project had aspired for some time to put their work more cohesively in the public domain. Since any such publication would be in English and oriented to an international market. the involvement of one extraneous author representative of that market obviously had its appropriateness - in language. interest and detachment. The resulting book is unusual. if not unique. because of its lengthy and detailed description of one system - Starting from an introduction to Sweden and the local health care system. it proceeds through to detailed descriptions of user procedures. terminal displays. and computer files. Undoubtedly some readers will question the merit in having such detail. particularly as it relates to outmoded equipment and a locally developed programming language. Yet some of those same readers might well be among those many people who ask elsewhere why we should repeatedly "re-invent the wheel" in the computer industry.

Content

1 Introduction
Origins, motivation, initial goals, organization Sweden and its health care system
2 System Outline - The Applications
The applications and their implementation
3 System Outline - The Hardware/Software Base
Computers and terminals
Computer operating and programming systems
4 The Data Base
The organization of the data base into files
5 Accessing the Data Base
General characteristics of data accessing
6 The Waiting List Sub-System
Details of operation and use
7 The Inpatient Sub-System
Details of operation and use
8 The Booking Sub-System
Details of operation and use
9 The Outpatient Sub-System
Details of operation and use
10 The Chemical Laboratory Sub-System
Details of operation and use
11 Batch Processes
Routine batch processing
Opportunities for research analyses
12 Security
Means
Obligations under Swedish law
13 Implementing the System
14 Review of Achievement and Plans
Appendix A: Background data concerning Stockholm County
Appendix B: Codes
Appendix C: Data Terminal Characteristics.