Expert systems: a new technology for increasing decision makers' effectiveness and efficiency

The two systems described above illustrate ways in which expert systems can be used in managing health services. These examples demonstrate how unskilled persons, clerks, or health consumers can obtain advice or decisions equivalent to the results of an interview with an experienced specialist. The savings in specialists' time is an obvious benefit. Increased accessibility, owing to the ability to use the system concurrently in many locations, will enhance the quality of the service. The value of these improvements in service delivery exceeds the relatively small cost of developing and implementing the system. The other advantages described are a bonus.