After the user chooses appendicitis, the database lists all ten possibilities and codes the user's choice accordingly. The medical code library is over 28 MB in size. In fact, in a Belfast, Ireland hospital, 4th Dimension sends information to the hospital VAX so all departments in the hospital can use the same data. The Belfast hospital is just one example of how the database can be tailored to fulfill the exact needs of each doctor and hospital. Doctors can write personalized mail-merge discharge letters and report summaries with the 4D Write word processor.
Many doctors use pre-written templates for letters discussing common operations.
Doctors can also perform any type of data analysis with the 4D Calc spreadsheet. The database, which is password protected at various levels, is easy for new users to learn. Improving Performance To evaluate performance, doctors often print reports from database information and train their staff according to the results. Initially, Thomas' staff met weekly to discuss patients and operations, thus validating data. Staff doctors compare patient recovery rates to evaluate which procedures are most effective.