A medical device data acquisition system using a microcomputer-based software interface

As an alternative to centralized minicomputer-based patient data management systems, an interface was designed around a microcomputer to acquire, process, and display data from a stand-alone patient-care device, an electronic fetal monitor. The objective was to enable the data from stand-alone devices to be incorporated into the hospital information system and to design a medical device data acquisition system utilizing a generalized interface. Standard microcomputer design tools were used to implement the interface. User-friendly menus for task selection, for data tables and graphs, and for hardcopy output were provided.<>