Abstract

Over the last 20 years, we have developed a small database system using FileMaker Pro to follow patients with diabetes mellitus. We developed this system because there were no electric database systems available at Yamaguchi Red Cross Hospital in 1989. Most hospitals now have Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. However, these systems were developed for common clinical usage, and do not track sufficient specialised information to allow us to follow a particular disease. Therefore, small systems in addition to EHR are still required. Medical staff usually do not have sufficient computer skills to develop and maintain such systems, but generally have adequate skills to use these systems as well as the desire to maintain the health of their patients. It is important for medical staff to learn to make databases themselves to be able to obtain sufficient information regarding their patients while maintaining sufficient levels of privacy.