Data collection for an obstetric department.

A well-designed computerized data collection system allows an accurate, complete data-set to be compiled for all pregnant women. It should be able to produce all the documentation necessary for pregnancy care, with minimum delay, and avoid repetitive data entry. Data is stored on computer on the back of operational tasks so that it may be subsequently used for audit. In addition it may be used for research purposes. Patient care can be improved if the computer is programmed to react to certain items being entered by requesting further relevant data-items. This therefore acts as a teaching method. A further extension of this is to use the data to help reach a diagnosis and thus suggest a logical management. A computerized data collection system cannot bring order out of chaos. Before introducing one there must be well-stated objectives of what is required from it. It must be clearly stated what is to be collected by whom and for what purpose. Apart from the capital outlay there may be a need to set money aside for revenue purposes for additional staff involved in maintaining the system. If a large system is being introduced then this will have considerable implications with regard to the work done by some staff, and job descriptions may need renegotiation--an aspect usually overlooked.