An On-Line Computer System for Initial Psychiatric Inventory

CASE, an on-line computer system, is used to elicit and record mental status, psychometric, and personal history information directly from the patient without the aid of an interviewer. Branching instructions can be programmed to present detailed questions in a particular area in much the same way that the clinician explores significant patient responses in depth. The authors explore future potentials for the system, including instant and extensive comparisons and classifications of patient responses and the signaling of improvement or impending crises.