A method for improving the delivery of health care for patients. A first data signal being multimedia data which is indicative of a patient condition of a selected patient is input into a local computer. Clinical data, cost data and administrative data relating to the health of the selected patient are also input into the local computer. The first data signal is combined with the clinical data, cost data and administrative data to form a first patient information signal which is transmitted to a central computer. A predetermined disease stage is then assigned to the selected patient based on the first data signal. The disease stage is combined with the first patient information signal to form a second patient information signal. Then, a first array of risk factors is computed from a database containing a plurality of previously obtained individualized patient information records. A first predictive probability is then assigned to the selected patient based on the second patient information signal and the first array of risk factors. A first patient recommendation signal indicating one of the selected patient would benefit from immediate patient care and the selected patient would not benefit from immediate patient care is generated and then transmitted to the local computer. Both the second patient information signal and the first patient recommendation signal are transmitted to a regional computer in response to the first patient recommendation signal indicating that the selected patient requires immediate patient care.