Ambiguous Query Resolution in Patient Search Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In clinical computing environments, patient record searches often return ambiguous results due to common names, leading to inefficiencies and potential selection of incorrect patient records when unique search inputs like social security numbers or medical record numbers are not used.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a common name data store to identify and notify users of ambiguous queries, preventing searches until additional criteria are entered, and providing a search quality indicator to assess the likelihood of finding the desired patient based on the input provided.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a patient search tool allows users to enter simple search input like names, then ease of operation is improved, but the search may return ambiguous results or take unacceptable time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the search input to determine if it corresponds to a common name before executing the full patient database search. This preliminary check prevents ambiguous searches from proceeding, resolving the contradiction by filtering out unreliable search inputs before they can produce inaccurate or time-consuming results.
2Loss of information
If the search system returns all matching patient records, then completeness of information is improved, but the user may inadvertently select the wrong patient record
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by proactively identifying and blocking searches that would return ambiguous results. Instead of returning complete but potentially misleading results, the system prevents the search from executing when common names are detected, thereby protecting users from selection errors before they can occur.
3Loss of information
If the system performs a full patient database search, then search completeness is improved, but search time becomes unacceptable when common names are involved
Solution Approach 1:
The system executes a preliminary check against a data structure of common names before performing the full patient database search. This preliminary action identifies searches that would be time-consuming and ambiguous, allowing the system to block them early and avoid wasting computational resources and user time on futile searches.
Data Source
AI summary
Computerized systems and methods facilitate searches by identifying instances in which search input is an ambiguous query and resolving the ambiguous query. The search system identifies ambiguous queries by querying a common data store prior to querying a patient database. More particularly, when the search system receives search input entered into a search tool, the search system queries the common name data store before querying the patient database to determine if the search input matches a common name and is an ambiguous query. If so, the search system may provide a notification to the user to indicate the search input is an ambiguous query with a common name and prompt the user to enter additional search criteria. In some instances, the search system may prevent a search from being performed on the patient database if the search input matches a common name until additional search criteria is entered.