Evening star., 1963-02-03
BY MERRILL H. GERSTNER
Tulane University Reports

Tulane university Reports
Twenty years ago the first
workable electronic computer
was developed. Since that time
electronic computers and COM
puter techniques have made a
powerful impact on practically
all areas Of commerce and In
dustry and research and de-
velopment.
Now, electronic computing is
on the threshold Of revolution
izing the practice of medicine
Although there is relatively
general agreement that COM
putting will have widespread ef-
fects on the practice Of medi-
cine, there is little agreement
on the degree of these effects.
Some commentators believe
that computers win affect Sc
verely the practice Of medicine
In a recent comprehensive re-
port for the Center for the
Study of Democratic Institu-
tions, Donal Michael. noted
author in the field of elec-
tronics and sutomation, envi-
sions an "eleetronic doctor" -
a machine to diagnose your
aches and pains as well as the
fellow sitting by your bedside.
Others, such as DR.. Hans
Kornfeld Of Berlin, feel that
the function of physicians viii
not be pre-empted ny electronic
computers. But. he does be-
lieve that Importance of ply
sicians in diagnosis will be
minimized while their role as
observers will be maximized.
In an address before the 1861
Congress for Medical Informa-
ton, in Berlin, DR.. Kornfeld
predicted that the day is soon
coming when patients symp-
toms will be fed into an elec-
tronic brain.
THE doctor will then push
a button and receive a dag
nosis. complete with sugges-
tions for therapy," he said
Such a system would also work
in reverse. When the name OF
an illness is fed into the ma
chine, it would produce a COM
plete list Of the important Il
symptoms of the disease or
disorder.
However, the German physi-
clan stressed strongly that
symptoms are still found and
registered by trained physi-
cians."
Greater Role Seen
Whatever the degree Of the
effects of the electronic COM
puter on the practice Of medi-
cine -one thing is certain: elec-
tronic computing is now an in
tegral part of medical practice
and will become an even great
er part in the future.
Last year, a research team
from the United States Public
Health Service, Cornell Univer-
sity, and an industrial concern
announced that a computer
had been used to successfully
help diagnose heart disease.
In the field of hospital rec
ords. DR.. Robert w. Harring-
ton, manager Of the Systems
Development Corp. Santa
Monica, Calf, recently re-
ported that "computer systems
in hospitals are not only eco
nomically feasible, but abso-
lutely necessary.
"Computers are especially
valuable in providing quick in
formation on patients with
long term chronic diseases
Computers could also be used
to reduce admissions pro-
cedures, get information to
wards quickly when needed
and store temperature, pulse
and respiration records so that
they could be easily retrieved.
One major project in the hos
pital- physician -computer rela-
tionship is being conducted by
the Commission on Profes-
sional and Hospital Activity.
In this vast study. records Of
2.5 million patients discharged
from hospitals in 1852 will be
analyzed on electronic COM
puters. 1t will be the first
large scale data processing sys-
TEN to the analysis Of hospital
records. 1t is expected to per-