The Physician\u27s Workstation Health Care Revolution or the Nearest Mis Yet?

The practice of medicine is an information rich activity, yet information systems have had melancholy history as aids to decision making physicians. Some of the reasons for this lack of acceptance are examined along with the potential that emerging technology may have for the acceptance of a future physician’s workstation. The use of information technology in the practice of medicine seems inevitable, but social impediments to its use may delay its widespread introduction for a decade or more. In the meantime experiments which document the existence or absence of the anticipated benefits should be designed and carried out