IMAGINE: a vision of health care in 1997

IMAGINE is a vision of health care in the year 1997 augmented by a variety of integrated information technologies. The film is not a literal prediction, but rather a projection of where current technologies are headed and what changes they will produce in the fields of medical diagnosis, patient care and hospital administration. Though produced at Hewlett-Packard, IMAGINE represents the capabilities of many companies and is a demonstration of open systems and their integration. The film’s three scenarios highlight a range of situations. All pose problems in patient treatment or cost control, and in each it is information, delivered when and where it’s needed, that provides the solutions. All of the medical procedures, information presentations, and interaction techniques were reviewed by experts in the fields concerned. Cardiologists, neurologists, pathologists, nurses and administrators provided abundant critical review to ensure accuracy. While this process was time consuming for such a fast paced film, it was felt to be essential for acceptance by the medical community. TECHNOLOGIES SHOWN . . .