Understanding computers or some of the things you always wanted to know about computers ... but were afraid to ask.

Criteria for computer systems evaluation are changing. No longer can we rely on an evaluation based solely on what the combination of hardware and software does for the user (functional criteria). Significant improvements in software productivity have occurred in recent years as a result of the availability of tools such as relational database management systems and fourth-generation languages. Meanwhile new technologies such as image processing and graphical user interfaces, e.g. MS-Windows and X Window, are coming onstream. Most of these technologies and capabilities require substantially more computing resources than traditional character-based systems. Fortunately, the open systems revolution is creating a more competitive marketplace and computer price/performance ratios are soaring, making the additional computing resources readily available at reasonable prices. But the opportunities of the future will not be for everyone. They will exist only for those medical record practitioners who recognize that a shift away from purely functional evaluation is necessary. Those that make the shift successfully will not become computer technicians, but they will understand the few technical criteria that are truly essential in systems evaluation. They will, in short, apply the 80/20 principle successfully to make future system selections. Medical record professionals must take steps to upgrade their computer system knowledge in order to accommodate the needs of technical criteria evaluation. For the active practitioner this means taking the time to learn from the many sources available in print, educational programs, and knowledgeable persons. Students should seek out courses that will give them a balanced view of the computer sciences, without being overloaded with specifics. AMRA should look for ways to augment the computer sciences requirements in the student's curriculum. Development of study tracks that concentrate on combining standard curricula with computer science would both create a new breed of practitioner and expand the horizons of the profession. The medical record profession must actively work to keep pace with the ever-changing information management environment in order to maintain its position of healthcare information management leadership.