Abstract
It is predicted that by the year 2000, with or without national health care reform, outpatient services may account for nearly half of a hospital's net revenues. As greater emphasis is placed on outpatient care it is imperative that data collection tools be developed that will not only evaluate the quality of care but also include data to measure administrative interests. The Hines VA, in conjunction with the Minneapolis VA, adapted a simple, computerized information collection system known as PANDAS. This article discusses the various technologies available for data collection; the criteria used in the selection of discrete optical mark reading technology; the development of an outpatient database for ambulatory care encounters; and the opportunities that exist for extracting data to examine and trend nursing activities, and developing outcome criteria for patient care.