A microcomputer based system for the storage and display of physiological variables.

The range of data-gathering equipment for patient monitoring is rapidly increasing. Unfortunately there is little uniformity in the display of information. The array of monitors selected at the author's hospital includes a carbon dioxide (C02) analyser, non-invasive arterial pressure monitor and pulse oximeter. To find the five values for the end tidal CO2• systolic and diastolic blood pressures, pulse and haemoglobin saturation it was necessary to scan thirteen digital displays. To overcome this ergonomic problem a microcomputer was programmed to gather the output from the three monitors on a single screen in the uniform format of trend displays.