Medical Research conducted in the patient care setting is facing a new financial barrier, the prospective payment system. Both university and hospitals must rethink clinical research resource use. This may result in better accountability for research costs and affect the hospitals' willingness to conduct experimental or innovative treatments. (MSE)

This paper proposes that physicians' use of computerized medical information systems in the practice of medicine can assist delivery of cost-effective, high-quality patient care and help expand clinical research. However, benefits can be realized only if clinicians participate in system development and implementation and if senior institutional…