Development of decision making rules for transportable, microcomputer-based expert systems in medicine

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
• Clinical Decision Support Systems

Background:

• Computerized decision-making aids have emerged in medicine over the past decade.
• These systems aim to provide expert-level advice within specific medical domains.
• Key components include software development and a specialized knowledge base for each application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe EMERGE, a medical decision-making system.
• To highlight the system's knowledge-based approach for adaptability.
• To emphasize the transportability of the system for diverse medical applications.

Main Methods:

• EMERGE utilizes a knowledge-based architecture.
• Production rules are employed for the representation of the knowledge base.
• The system is designed for easy modification by replacing the knowledge base.

Main Results:

• The knowledge-based approach allows for application changes without altering core software.
• EMERGE was initially developed for chest pain analysis in emergency rooms.
• The system demonstrates adaptability and transportability to new medical applications.

Conclusions:

• Knowledge-based systems offer a flexible approach to medical decision support.
• EMERGE's design facilitates the integration of new medical knowledge.
• The system's transportability enhances its utility across different clinical settings.