The main use of computer control in hospitals is in life-support systems.

Sensors attached to a patient monitor 

• pulse
• temperature
• blood pressure
• breathing rate

The readings are taken at regular intervals and used as input to a computer.

If any of these readings goes outside acceptable levels an output signal sets off an alarm to alert the nursing staff.

These systems may be used for

• patients in intensive care (eg after operations)

• prematurely born babies

• monitoring can be continuously done 24 hours a day
• no chance of human errors due to eg tiredness
• frees the nursing staff to carry out other duties

but...disadvantages...

• these systems are expensive