[The value of hospital data bases in the quality of patient care].
Massive gathering of clinical records started quite soon, at the turn of the last century, about 100 years ago. In that period keeping and gathering of medical records gradually evolved from paper medical records to computer-based medical records. Software that we use for this is quite different. We are witnessing tendency that each medical institution is creating software solely for their use, that leads to difference of gathered medical data and their validity for further analysis. In this paper we tested value of gathering and processing medical records through a hospital software, regarding time consumption in everyday work, as well as value of gathered and processed data. Statistically significant difference was found in terms of time needed for complete gathering and processing of medical data of hospitalized patients, as well as most of its segments (administering of admission, forming a medical history, forming a discharge letter). No statistically significant differences were found in terms of value of gathered and processed data in the forms of electronical records, compared to those formed on "traditional" basis. We conclude that the future of gathering, forming and processing of medical documentation of hospitalized patients is solely through interactive computer databases, and that their everyday spreading through all systems and levels of health care is absolutely necessary. Only that way we shall be able to fully use possibilities that such interactive system offers in improving management of patients.