Use of personal computers in a teaching hospital in Zambia
Wilson, I.H.; Watters, D.A.
British Medical Journal 296(6617): 255-256
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0267-0623 PMID: 3124904 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.296.6617.255Document Number: 351237
This article reports on doctors who imported microcomputers to Zambia to use in a teaching hospital. The types of programs utilized and the cost of the programs is provided. Computers are used in both hospital and general practice and are often large, powerful, and expensive models that would be inappropriate in the developing countries. This is particulary true where there is a lack of trained technicians locally to maintain both hardware and software. Recent reductions in the costs of buying and running microcomputers meant that it became possible to consider using them more in medical practice, and user friendly software made them particularly suitable for use in hospitals in developing countries. Personal computers are useful because they enable doctors to teach and write in countries in which medical and administrative manpower is limited. The effectiveness of many doctors in developing could be increased if they had access to microcomputers. The authors promote the use of microcomputers as cost effective and urge any doctors planning to work in a developing country where research or administration will be part of their job to take a computer with them.