Medical information systems of the future.

The coming years promise great advances in the storing, recording, and communication of medical data. Handheld computers may make bedside terminals obsolete. CD-ROM's storage capacity will eliminate data retention problems as well as provide for storage images. Doctors should be able to access computers merely by talking. Home monitoring equipment that the physician can access by telephone should reduce hospital stays. Computerized decision support, neurocomputing, cost-cutting through automation: all these concepts are at the cutting edge of medical information technology.