Computer based information systems in primary health care--why?

The delivery of health care is information based. A host of computer-based information systems have been developed and implemented in the health care environment. The mere availability of the computer as a tool for information handling should, in itself, not be the cause for developing computer-based information systems. The earlier assumption of a cost-benefit impact with the development of such systems has not been effectively shown in all cases, and as seen in a report by van Bemmel, the recent trend is to apply other criteria in systems evaluation. Information is essential in health care related decision making. The properties of information are described to present a case for a computer-based information system to support primary health care delivery.