communication hardware for communicating with the hospital network additionally a separate computer cpu is used to communicate with control and provide an interface gateway 27 to the hospital network 5 a local area network 50 comprising a thin net or ethernet cabling is used to connect the central file server 45 to the hardware that comprises the care management system in the present embodiment the file server 45 of the care management system is connected by a local area network lan 50 to computers and other peripheral equipment located in the institution 39 s pharmacy at nursing stations located throughout the institution and at the patient 39 s bedside in the embodiment shown the module located in the pharmacy comprises a central processing unit 60 to which is attached a video display 64 and a keyboard 62 for entry and display of patient information and drug parameters also attached to the pharmacy cpu is a bar code reader 68 which is adapted to read barcode labels that may be attached to drug containers equipment or caregiver identification badges as will be more fully discussed below also connected to the pharmacy cpu 60 is a bar code printer 69 and a printer 66 used for.