A computerized perinatal data system. The Arizona experience.

The development of a regional data system was one of the major objectives of the Arizona Perinatal Program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To achieve this objective, a decision was made to adopt and expand a perinatal data system under development at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix. This shift from what was planned as a highly sophisticated single hospital system, which would include real-time data storage as well as paper acquired data, required certain sacrifices and resulted in certain problems as well as significant gains for the region. The data system is made up of two major components - (1) a paper record system in which the documents completed by physician or nurse serve both as the official medical record and computer-input document and (2) a computer using the Meditech Interpretive Information System (MIIS) version of the MUMPS operating system and language. Programs to achieve the goals and objectives established for the system are described. Lessons learned from this experience which may be helpful to others interested in similar developments are described.