Computerized file maintenance system for managing medical records including narrative reports

In a computerized data processing system including a central processor with means for data storage, a keyboard for data entry and a screen display for data review, a file maintenance system for computerized processing of multiple files having record sets in a predefined organizational structure comprising:

• a plurality of discrete files, each file having a plurality of records in a record set associated with the file, wherein the record set includes:
• standard, field-defined records, each with an identified data field in which field-defined data of limited character length forming the field-defined record is enterable, the standard, field-defined records being organized in different field-defined categories in the record set, wherein the data processing system includes means for entering field-defined data in an identified data field of a field-defined record and means for editing field-defined data entered in the identified data field of the field-defined record by reentry of field-defined data in the data field;
• and,
• hybrid, extended-field records each with an identified data field in which extended-field data of virtually unlimited character length forming the extended field record is enterable, the hybrid, extended-field records being organized in different extended-field topical categories in the record set, wherein the data processing system included means for entering extended-field data in an identified data field of an extended-field record and means for editing extended-field data entered in the identified data field of the extended-field record without reentry of entered extended-field data in the identified data field.