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From: works@ucbvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.workstations
Subject: Re: ethernet in a hospital
Message-ID: <8512250511.AA27128@caip.rutgers.edu>
Date: Mon, 23-Dec-85 15:59:11 EST
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Posted: Mon Dec 23 15:59:11 1985
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> I'm developing a patient medical record system for a
> community-based hospital built around Unix workstations....
> ....The configuration requires a minimum of 30 nodes; the
> relational DBMS must support a least 12 different views of the
> medical database, which will have 68+ relations.

This may seem very silly.  It did to me when I was told but...  A
close friend of mine who does consulting work in the areas of
communications, networking and UNIX was once working with a hospital.
They ruled out use of ethernet because it is expected to have
failures (i.e.  collisions) and they were afraid that some clever
lawyers might label this as negligence.  Lawyer to jury: "this
institution installed a system expected to have periodic failures
which would delay critical patient information.  Yet they tell you
they care about their patients".  Yes I know it's ridiculous but that
was their concern.  You can bet the lawyer would carefully pick a
technically naive jury.

Anyway the point is, before proceeding with your system you might
want to check up with the hospital administration and legal people.
I can refer you to my friend for more information if you like.
-- 
From the TARDIS of Mark Callow
msc@saber.uucp,  sun!saber!msc@decwrl.dec.com ...{ihnp4,sun}!saber!msc
"Boards are long and hard and made of wood"