SEARCH—A language for retrieval and statistical analysis of medical records

✍ Scribed by J.D. Buckley; V.X. Gledhill; J.D. Mathews; I.R. Mackay

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 617 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0010-4809
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-4809(73)90038-4

✦ Synopsis

SEARCH is a high-level programming language to provide for the analysis of data stored in a computer-based medical record. Programs are written in three sections. The Data Definition section contains a description of the data to be used in the analysis; the Decision Logic section defines the rules that will be used to select records for processing; and the Action Commands section defines the analysis in a sequential list of statements. The SEARCH language operates on-line through a typewriter terminal and provides lineby-line syntax checking. When the program is entered, execution begins immediately and the results are returned to the terminal.

SEARCH is designed to allow doctors to write their own programs in familiar terms, thus minimizing the difficulties implicit in using computers for medical research.