Biomedical subjects

F G Sayward

Publications and source records attributed to F G Sayward.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Tools for immunization guideline knowledge maintenance. II. Automated Web-based generation of user-customized test cases.

IMM/Test is a prototype software tool built to generate test cases that can be used to help test and verify the internal logic of an immunization forecasting program. A forecasting program takes as input a child's immunization history and produces recommendations as to which vaccinations are due and which should be scheduled next. IMM/Test was developed to test a specific immunization forecasting program, IMM/Serve. In addition, IMM/Test has been incorporated into a broader Web-based tool, IMM/Web, which allows the user (e.g., a member of an immunization registry staff) to customize the parameters used for immunization forecasting (e.g., the minimum ages for each dose and the minimum wait intervals between doses) to reflect local practice. IMM/Web then generates a customized set of test cases that may be used to test the user's immunization forecasting program. The user may also request that the test cases be automatically passed to IMM/Serve to analyze using the newly defined parameters. The paper describes the internal design of IMM/Test and IMM/Web and discusses certain lessons learned in the implementation of the two programs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Combining tabular, rule-based, and procedural knowledge in computer-based guidelines for childhood immunization.

IMM/Serve is a computer program which implements the clinical guidelines for childhood immunization. IMM/Serve accepts as input a child's immunization history. It then indicates which vaccinations are due and which vaccinations should be scheduled next. The clinical guidelines for immunization are quite complex and are modified quite frequently. As a result, it is important that IMM/Serve's knowledge be represented in a format that facilitates the maintenance of that knowledge as the field evolves over time. To achieve this goal, IMM/Serve uses four representations for different parts of its knowledge base: (1) Immunization forecasting parameters that specify the minimum ages and wait-intervals for each dose are stored in tabular form. (2) The clinical logic that determines which set of forecasting parameters applies for a particular patient in each vaccine series is represented using if-then rules. (3) The temporal logic that combines dates, ages, and intervals to calculate recommended dates, is expressed procedurally. (4) The screening logic that checks each previous dose for validity is performed using a decision table that combines minimum ages and wait intervals with a small amount of clinical logic. A knowledge maintenance tool, IMM/Def, has been developed to help maintain the rule-based logic. The paper describes the design of IMM/Serve and the rationale and role of the different forms of knowledge used.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1997

A prototype Web site for immunization knowledge maintenance.

IMM/Web is a prototype Web site designed to assist in the maintenance of the knowledge required to perform computer-based forecasting for childhood immunization. IMM/Web operates in conjunction with IMM/Serve, a immunization forecasting program that takes a child's immunization history and produces recommendations as to which vaccinations are due, and which should be scheduled next. IMM/Serve's domain knowledge is expressed in both tabular and rule-based form. Using IMM/Web, the various tabular forecasting parameters can be modified via the Web. Test cases can then be generated automatically which can be used to help verify the new version of logic. Finally, the test cases can be automatically passed for IMM/Serve to analyze using the newly defined parameters. The IMM/Web project is exploring how the process of updating, customizing, and testing new versions of a computer-based clinical guideline might be performed and guided in an organized fashion via the World-Wide Web.

Child↗

PubMed1996

IMM/Serve: a rule-based program for childhood immunization.

A rule-based program, IMM/Serve, is being developed to help guide childhood immunization for initial use, within Oregon. The program is designed primarily for automated use with an online immunization registry, but can also be used interactively by a single user. The paper describes IMM/Serve and discusses 1) the sources of complexity in immunization logic, 2) the potential advantages of a rule-based approach for representing that logic, and 3) the potential advantage of such a program evolving to become the standard of care. Related projects include 1) a computer-based tool to help verify the completeness of the logic, 2) a tool that allows a central part of the logic to be generated automatically, and 3) an approach that allows visualization of the logic graphically.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Managing attribute--value clinical trials data using the ACT/DB client-server database system.

ACT/DB is a client-server database application for storing clinical trials and outcomes data, which is currently undergoing initial pilot use. It stores most of its data in entity-attribute-value form. Such data are segregated according to data type to allow indexing by value when possible, and binary large object data are managed in the same way as other data. ACT/DB lets an investigator design a study rapidly by defining the parameters (or attributes) that are to be gathered, as well as their logical grouping for purposes of display and data entry. ACT/DB generates customizable data entry. The data can be viewed through several standard reports as well as exported as text to external analysis programs. ACT/DB is designed to encourage reuse of parameters across multiple studies and has facilities for dictionary search and maintenance. It uses a Microsoft Access client running on Windows 95 machines, which communicates with an Oracle server running on a UNIX platform. ACT/DB is being used to manage the data for seven studies in its initial deployment.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗