Paper-free flight surgeon's office.

Integration of evolving technology into the flight surgeon's daily practice offers revolutionary opportunities to improve professional effectiveness. The productivity of those involved in the practice of aerospace medicine will be enhanced through the use of information systems, including word processors, communications equipment, graphics displays, and computers. The use of these systems will eliminate "paper work" and add efficiency to the flight surgeon's office environment. The practice of medicine is changing with increasing emphasis on credentialing, activity tracking, incident reporting, and occurrence screening. These quality assurance measures are being followed through data base management. The implications regarding medical records management, productivity indicators, continuing medical education, preventive medicine and direct patient care are great. The ability to communicate electronically leads to potential consultant networks, allowing real-time advice on complex cases regardless of geography. Military physicians should also be mindful of the command, control, communications, and intelligence advantages offered by these systems. Although microcomputers exist in most flight surgeons' offices and new technical applications are planned, integrators and champions are needed.