The computer-based patient record and Robert Fulghum's 16 principles.

Robert Fulghum proposed 16 principles learned in kindergarten that he claimed should govern all human activities. How do these principles apply to current efforts to create a computer-based patient record? Fulghum's principles, when recast for the computer-based patient record, emphasize cooperation, privacy, security, and standardization--elements that are easily recognized as essential features of an electronic medical record. However, a number of less frequently discussed issues, such as data quality, integrity, abuse, and misuse can also be considered in terms of Fulghum's principles.