Graphical Interface for Medical Decision Support Rule Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rule-based systems in medical decision support are not user-friendly for domain experts, leading to out-of-date rules that can pose safety and legal threats, as technical personnel are typically required to create and maintain these systems.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that provides a graphical user interface for composing and viewing medical decision support rules using Boolean operators, allowing domain experts to easily link rule statements and manage rules through a hierarchical structure, with icons and links illustrating logical relationships, and includes a quality assurance process for approving rules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If technical personnel create and maintain rule-based systems, then system functionality is ensured, but user-friendliness for domain experts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary interface layer between domain experts and the complex rule-based system. This interface provides simplified, user-friendly tools for domain experts to create, modify, and manage rules without needing to understand the underlying system complexity. The intermediary translates simple user inputs into complex rule logic, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and system functionality.
2Reliability
If domain experts directly manage rules, then rule accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments rule management into distinct functional components: rule creation, rule validation, rule execution, and quality assurance review. This segmentation allows domain experts to focus on accurate rule creation through simplified interfaces while separate systems handle the complexity of validation and execution. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by isolating complexity from the expert-user interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where created rules are reviewed by quality assurance reviewers before deployment. This feedback loop ensures rule accuracy while the structured review process manages complexity by providing clear guidelines and checks. The feedback mechanism allows domain experts to maintain high rule accuracy without directly managing all system complexity.
3Reliability
If rules are manually updated, then rule currency improves, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions through templates and pre-defined rule structures that domain experts can quickly populate. Quality assurance reviewers perform preliminary validation before rules are deployed. These preliminary actions reduce the time needed for rule updates by preparing frameworks and checks in advance, allowing experts to focus only on content creation rather than entire rule development.
Data Source
AI summary
A first statement of a rule and a first icon associated with the first statement are displayed. A user's selection of the first icon is received, and the selection of a Boolean operator is received in association with the selection. A second statement is displayed, and a link between the first statement and the second statement is displayed to form a compound statement including the first and second statements. The link includes an indication of the Boolean operator selected by the user. A second icon is displayed in association with the second statement, where the second icon is selectable by the user to allow selection of Boolean operators with which the user may link the second statement to a third statement. A third icon is displayed in association with the compound statement, where the icon is selectable by the user to allow selection of a Boolean operator to link the compound statement to a third statement.