For two years an office computer was used to identify patients to prompt for opportunistic screening and call for systematic screening. After the two years 92% of patients on the list had had blood pressure readings recorded within the previous five years, of which 34% resulted from special prompts and 22% from screening letters. Those who failed to respond to letters were sent questionnaires, and their records were compared with those of screened patients.With the help of a microcomputer it is practicable to sustain a continuous screening rate of between 90% and 95%.Introduction At least 7% of the population aged between 35 and 65 would benefit from a reduced blood pressure.' In 1970 Hart showed that these patients could be identified,2 and since then case finding for hypertension has been accepted in principle by most general practitioners. Audits have shown that even in well motivated practices fewer than 65% of patients have been screened in the past

We use our office computer to record and issue repeat prescriptions. Each month we look at a printout to see how many times a drug has been prescribed, with the goal of limiting our practice formulary. We have reduced by more than 10% the range of drugs that we use in the practice and have the possibility of knowing dose ranges, actions, interactions, and side effects of all the drugs used in the practice.

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