| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to suggest an approach to the design of computerized clinical information systems to help meet the information needs of practitioners in social service agencies. Further, the interest is in data that can and should be collected as integral part of practice and not as part of one-shot research endeavors. This paper presents a brief analysis of what outputs a clinical information system should produce in order to meet information needs of clinicians, and suggests guidelines for the design of such systems. Two applications of information systems based on these guidelines are presented and discussed. In the discussion, the paper identifies the need for programming tools which would faciliate the interface between practitioners and data base programs. Finally, the implications of the availability of this information technology for clinical judgment and for individualized interventions are briefly discussed. |
