Abstract
Clinical data are filed to be retrieved whenever they are needed. They must comply with the following requisites: give access to all information regarding the matter of the study, be easy to record, be easy and quick to recover and offer the possibility of correct, easy analysis of the actual data. To identify the clinical data filing methods, it is necessary to identify the purpose for which the data are filed, what must be filed and the media available. The reasons are: to keep a record of patient data for clinical purposes; as a diagnostic and therapeutical reference for the medical examiner, and to recover data for a clinical review for scientific purposes. Depending on the purpose the collection of data should be organised by choosing both the type of data to be filed and exactly what should be filed from a data record. Records may be classified into 4 main types: numerical, logical, imaginal, descriptive: it should be borne in mind that a descriptive and/or statistical analysis is impossible when data filed are not digital or logical records. There are basically two means of filing: on paper and on a magnetic medium. Paperwork requires a copy of data and different filing methods depending on its future use, while direct filing of data on a magnetic medium by computer enables work to be optimised: just one recording/filing of data serves for any future purpose. Filing on a magnetic medium is good training for the work optimization because the collection of data must be organized in advance. This method offers excellent results and certainty, plus saving of time and resources. Filing on a magnetic medium is therefore the ideal method for organizing both clinical and scientific work.
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