A hospital information system comprises a data processing system including a plurality of terminals having display means and data entry means. Patient information is entered into the system via the terminals, is organized hierarchically in the system, and may be displayed to users having proper access to the system. The system provides a time-oriented task list, which is automatically generated from data which has been entered from physicians' and nursing orders. Tasks may be charted by a system user without exiting from the task list, and all associated form(s) are automatically updated.