Abstract
A commercially available wordprocessor has been integrated with an end-user developed Anatomic Pathology information system (“APD”) that is based on Snomed coding of diagnoses. Both software packages are written in Standard MUMPS and run on DEC PDP-11 equipment. The APD software initializes and formats the word processor document, and forms the document header and trailer from patient data on file. The diagnoses from all prior Pathology reports are automatically inserted into the body of the report. Specimen gross descriptions can be entered as plain or as “canned” text. Diagnoses are entered by selecting from an extensive on-line dictionary or as plain text; if the former, matching Snomed codes are assigned, thus automating the coding process. The integration of these two systems has led to considerable time savings in the office environment.