CaseLog: semantic network interface to a student computer-based patient record system

We have developed a computer program called CaseLog, which serves as an exemplary, computer-based patient record (CPR) system. The program allows for the introduction of the students to issues unique to patient record systems. These include record security, unique patient identifiers, and the use of controlled vocabularies. A particularly challenging aspect of the development of this program was allowing for student entry of controlled vocabulary terms. There were four goals we wished to achieve: students should be able to find the terms they are looking for; once a term has been found, it should be easy to find contextually related terms; it should be easy to determine that a sought-for term is not in the vocabulary; and the structure of the vocabulary should be dynamically altered by contextual information to allow its use for a variety of purposes. We chose a semantic network for our vocabulary structure. Within the processing power of the equipment we were working with, we achieved our goals. This paper will describe the development of the vocabulary, the design of the CaseLog program, and the feedback from student users of the program.