Benefits from a real time accident and emergency system

ensure usability and usefulness; the software was delivered incrementally. An objective of the project was to estimate the system success by demonstrating the discharge by clinical staff, on computer, of an average of 90% of the patients attendmg the Department for 12 months without detracting from patient care. Discharges by clinical staff m real time (i.e. before or as patients leave the department) averaged 90% or higher, from March 1992 to the end of momtonng in July 1993. The immediate benefit to chmcal staff and patients can be demonstrated by the paperwork generated by the computer m real time which other-