title: A JAVA-based multimedia tool for clinical practice guidelines.
abstract: We have developed a specific language for the representation of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and Windows C++ and platform independent JAVA applications for multimedia presentation and edition of electronically stored CPGs. This approach facilitates translation of guidelines and protocols from paper to computer-based flowchart representations. Users can navigate through the algorithm with a friendly user interface and access related multimedia information within the context of each clinical problem. CPGs can be stored in a computer server and distributed over the World Wide Web, facilitating dissemination, local adaptation, and use as a reference element in medical care. We have chosen the Agency for Health Care and Policy Research's heart failure guideline to demonstrate the capabilities of our tool.
authors.affiliation: Medical Informatics Group, School of Computer Science, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maojo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herrero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lazaro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pazos
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003626:Data Display; D003658:Decision Making, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D019212:Multimedia; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013030:Spain; D014584:User-Computer Interface