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Developing decision support systems: a change in emphasis.

Against a backdrop of many demonstrably proficient expert systems that are not routinely used, and a user community that is skeptical of the benefits of using such technology in healthcare, the AIM funded Dilemma project is attempting to introduce decision support technology into shared care environments within scenarios from the specialties of oncology and cardiology. This paper outlines the experiences of one work-package of the Dilemma project which is concerned with the development of applications with a decision support component for use in shared care of coronary artery disease patients. We suggest reasons why expert systems have failed to gain acceptance in the past, and conclude that a shift in emphasis from building expert systems to building clinically useful applications that have an expert system component may improve the chances of acceptance of this technology in the future.

Coronary Disease↗

Using data warehousing and OLAP in public health care.

The paper describes the possibilities of using data warehousing and OLAP technologies in public health care in general and then our own experience with these technologies gained during the implementation of a data warehouse of outpatient data at the national level. Such a data warehouse serves as a basis for advanced decision support systems based on statistical, OLAP or data mining methods. We used OLAP to enable interactive exploration and analysis of the data. We found out that data warehousing and OLAP are suitable for the domain of public health and that they enable new analytical possibilities in addition to the traditional statistical approaches.

Ambulatory Care↗

An object oriented decision support system for the planning of health resource allocation.

The health resource allocation problem is discussed in this paper. An object-oriented system, which consists of two parts is proposed and its implemented prototype is illustrated. The first part consists of a Geographical Information System which is able to acquire and store both geographical information regarding the territory under investigation and the socio-epidemiological information and the resource distribution in that moment on the same territory. The second part refers to the strategies and the relative algorithms carried out (using a Decision Support System) to obtain the best solution (allocation of new resources optimizing the cost/benefit ratio) after that the user has fixed a goal (e.g., the decrease of the incidence of a given disease) and has defined some constraints (e.g., a fixed budget, a given set of available resources, etc.). The object-oriented database stores different scenarios, depending on the different goals and constraints defined in input. A user friendly interface was also implemented.

Decision Making, Computer-Assisted↗

A Knowledge-Based Systems Approach to Design of Spatial Decision Support Systems for Environmental Management

/ This paper describes a framework for designing spatial decision support systems for environmental management using a knowledge-based systems approach. An architecture for knowledge-based spatial decision supportsystems (KBSDSS) is presented that integrates knowledge-based systems with geographical information systems (GIS) and other problem-solving techniques. A method based on spatial influence diagrams is developed for representation of environmental problems. The spatial influence diagram provides an interface through which knowledge-based systems techniques can be applied to build capabilities for problem formulation, automated design, and execution of a solution process. In addition to the flexibility and developmental advantages of knowledge-based systems, the KBSDSS incorporates expert knowledge to provide assistance for structuring spatial influence diagrams and executing a solution process that automatically integrates the GIS, data base, knowledge base, and different types of models. The framework is illustrated with a system, known as the Islay Land Use Decision Support System (ILUDSS), designed to assist planners in strategic planning of land use for the development of the island of Islay, off the west coast of Scotland.KEY WORDS: Geographical information systems; Spatial decision support systems; Knowledge-based systems; Spatial influence diagrams; Environmental management

Journal Article↗

Integrated clinical decision support using an object-oriented database management system.

Clinical decision support systems assist in diagnosis, alert to abnormal conditions, and manage patient data. Such systems tend to emphasize one of these features at the expense of the others and tend to be developed on an ad hoc basis. In this work, a technique is developed for creating an integrated clinical decision support system wholly within a general-purpose object-oriented database management system. The diagnostic and alerting requirements are accomplished with encapsulated methods and a novel use of the object-oriented database management class-hierarchy structure. The patient data management requirement is satisfied by the normal data management capabilities of the object-oriented DBMS.

Aphasia↗

Bringing decision support to nurse managers.

Modern hospital nursing management requires timely and accurate information to allow nurse managers to adjust resources to patient requirements. We report an experience using production theory to provide the framework for the development of Decision Support Objects: graphic displays of nursing hours budgeted, scheduled, and worked within institution-specific control limits. Every month, nurse managers follow an analytic algorithm to understand nursing resources and trends on their units. Exception reporting closes the accountability loop. The essentials of education for nurse managers include skill training in the use of the decision-support tools and supportive lecture/seminars for understanding the managerial implications of using them.

Algorithms↗

Decision support systems to manage outcomes.

It is essential that outcomes are evaluated and actions are taken to resolve problematic decision support issues. Many organizations are planning a transition to clinical information systems that will have data repositories and integrated databases within their systems. These transitions take years to complete, and systems must be put into place to collect data and report outcomes during the interim period. Careful and strategic planning is important so that the most effective use of existing technology and the most appropriate systems are implemented to manage outcomes. Multidisciplinary teams that use the most efficient technologic approaches will best meet the challenge to provide the most cost-effective care with the best quality outcomes.

Decision Support Techniques↗

Uniform system for the evaluation of substances. I. Principles and structure.

In April 1994, the first version of the Uniform System for the Evaluation of Substances (USES 1.0) was launched to comply with an action point of the Netherlands National Environmental Policy Plan. USES is a tool for the rapid, quantitative assessment of the hazards and risks of chemical substances, including new substances, existing substances, agricultural pesticides and biocides. It was developed to be applied as a decision-support system by the central government, by industry and institutes in the private sector and by international fora. Since hazard and risk assessment must be transparent to all users and easy to perform, USES 1.0 is well documented and available as a computer program. An overview of this system will be presented including its objectives, the national and international framework, the general principles involved, as well as the structure and the content of the models used.

Animals↗

Decision support systems for risk mapping: viewing the risk from the hazards perspective.

Setting as central theme the response of stakeholders to the challenges and offers of Risk Analysis, the paper proposes an approach meant to facilitate risk communication: mapping risk from the hazards perspective--that is, emphasizing the consequence-related factor in the standard risk representations. A working demonstration is presented to illustrate the concept, in relation to a decision support system (DSS) design that has caught, over the past few years, the interest of several authorities and forae in Switzerland and elsewhere, providing for useful exchanges between the risk community and stakeholders from major industries, infrastructure operations, finances and other areas.

Decision Support Systems, Management↗

Building a successful risk-based competency assessment model.

The requirement to verify and ensure the competency of staff members to perform their assigned duties is here to stay. This article describes a model for decision making about competency assessment frequency. Implementation of the model should be accompanied by a systematic review of learning needs and performance improvement data. Education sessions designed to address identified learning needs or to support performance improvement activities should occur before or concurrent with competency assessment. The result is a cost-effective, efficient use of resources to accomplish the goal of ongoing assessment and improvement of staff competency. When staff member competency improves, the likelihood of a positive patient outcome increases. Our model provides a structured, defensible mechanism to link competency assessment with improvements in patient care quality.

Clinical Competence↗

The design of an emergency operating procedure in process control systems: a case study of a refrigeration system in an ammonia plant.

The purpose of this study was to develop a method to aid and support human operators in emergency operations. A conceptual model of system performance was constructed in order to observe the constraints of human capabilities under emergency conditions. Then the influence of emergent events and the applicable condition of procedural design principles were discussed. In order to help operators in handling the emergent event, a decision table support and a computer support were developed according to historical data and principles of procedural design. In order to verify the effects of above methods, a simulated experiment of handling the emergent event in the refrigeration system of an ammonia plant was performed. As shown by the experimental results, the support methods successfully improved the response speed of the subject, but did not improve accuracy. The results also revealed that the decision table support had a better effect on simple error type, whereas the 16-breadth computer support had a better effect on both the simple error type and complex error type.

Adult↗

A decision-support system for off-site nuclear emergencies.

In the case of a nuclear emergency, quick, well-founded decisions must be made about the type of protective action, its region of application, and initiation time. These typically are tasks for computer-based systems. Even with emergency-preparedness, exercises, and training, the decision-support system is one of great importance. This paper describes a decision-support system recently developed by the China Institute of Atomic Energy; it can optimally rank actions during the early phase of an accident using multiattribute utility analysis, and for the intermediate and later phases by cost-benefit analysis. This system runs both on MICRO VAX II and PC systems.

China↗

Measuring service line competitive position. A systematic methodology for hospitals.

To mount a broad effort aimed at improving their competitive position for some service or group of services, hospitals have begun to pursue product line management techniques. A few hospitals have even reorganized completely under the product line framework. The benefits include focusing accountability for operations and results, facilitating coordination between departments and functions, stimulating market segmentation, and promoting rigorous examination of new and existing programs. As part of its strategic planning process, a suburban Baltimore hospital developed a product line management methodology with six basic steps: (1) define the service lines (which they did by grouping all existing diagnosis-related groups into 35 service lines), (2) determine the contribution of each service line to total inpatient volume, (3) determine trends in service line volumes (by comparing data over time), (4) derive a useful comparison group (competing hospitals or groups of hospitals with comparable size, scope of services, payer mix, and financial status), (5) review multiple time frames, and (6) summarize the long- and short-term performance of the hospital's service lines to focus further analysis. This type of systematic and disciplined analysis can become part of a permanent strategic intelligence program. When hospitals have such a program in place, their market research, planning, budgeting, and operations will be tied together in a true management decision support system.

Catholicism↗

Decision support system for managing oil spill events.

The Mediterranean environment is exposed to various hazards, including oil spills, forest fires, and floods, making the development of a decision support system (DSS) for emergency management an objective of utmost importance. The present work presents a complete DSS for managing marine pollution events caused by oil spills. The system provides all the necessary tools for early detection of oil-spills from satellite images, monitoring of their evolution, estimation of the accident consequences and provision of support to responsible Public Authorities during clean-up operations. The heart of the system is an image processing-geographic information system and other assistant individual software tools that perform oil spill evolution simulation and all other necessary numerical calculations as well as cartographic and reporting tasks related to a specific management of the oil spill event. The cartographic information is derived from the extant general maps representing detailed information concerning several regional environmental and land-cover characteristics as well as financial activities of the application area. Early notification of the authorities with up-to-date accurate information on the position and evolution of the oil spill, combined with the detailed coastal maps, is of paramount importance for emergency assessment and effective clean-up operations that would prevent environmental hazard. An application was developed for the Region of Crete, an area particularly vulnerable to oil spills due to its location, ecological characteristics, and local economic activities.

Accidents↗

[Establishment of Chinese eco-agricultural model management information and decision support system].

According to the experiences of eco-agricultural county construction and research on eco-agricultural model, Access technology was used to build the database system about natural resource, agricultural production, eco-environment, eco-engineering and technology, and eco-agricultural model information of each eco-agricultural county. The relative information of 51 eco-agricultural counties could be offered in the system. On the basis of building database system, object-oriented method was applied to design the knowledge base of eco-agricultural model, and visual C++ was used to exploit Chinese eco-agricultural model management information and decision support system. The implement of eco-agricultural model decision with the help of computer was developed primarily.

Agriculture↗