Computerized practice guidelines for heart failure management: the HeartMan system

In this paper we discuss the initial stages of development and evaluation of the HeartMan system, a set of computerized practice guidelines for heart failure management. The concept of computerized guidelines as a hybrid of expert systems and practice guidelines methodologies and techniques is proposed. We show the results of the initial evaluation of the system, which are very promising, although the sample size is small, and the study is retrospective: Of 177 messages, 90% were considered appropriate, of which 97.5% would have been followed. Eight percent of the messages were classified as neutral, and 2% classified as inappropriate. The errors were correctable by changing the logic. The potential technical and sociological barriers to the complete development and clinical use of the system are discussed.