Abstract: A data handling system for a hospital or like establishment. The system keeps track of bed allocation, changes in inventory, and charges to patients, and also serves as a communication network for the hospital. Data is fed into the system in the form of pre-punched cards bearing patient information, inventory data, and commands or messages, and thus unskilled personnel can quickly feed data into the system without error. Message data is routed directly to teleprinters at addressed locations. Bed allocation and patient data, and charge and inventory data are respectively stored in separate magnetic drum storage areas. Searching facilities are provided which can locate desired data entries in either storage area and mark these entries for printout, and separate printout circuitry then transfers marked data items to the proper addresses in the proper format. At the end of each day, a final search is performed which produces a printout of all charges organized by patient number.