title: GLIF3: a representation format for sharable computer-interpretable clinical practice guidelines.
abstract: The Guideline Interchange Format (GLIF) is a model for representation of sharable computer-interpretable guidelines. The current version of GLIF (GLIF3) is a substantial update and enhancement of the model since the previous version (GLIF2). GLIF3 enables encoding of a guideline at three levels: a conceptual flowchart, a computable specification that can be verified for logical consistency and completeness, and an implementable specification that is intended to be incorporated into particular institutional information systems. The representation has been tested on a wide variety of guidelines that are typical of the range of guidelines in clinical use. It builds upon GLIF2 by adding several constructs that enable interpretation of encoded guidelines in computer-based decision-support systems. GLIF3 leverages standards being developed in Health Level 7 in order to allow integration of guidelines with clinical information systems. The GLIF3 specification consists of an extensible object-oriented model and a structured syntax based on the resource description framework (RDF). Empirical validation of the ability to generate appropriate recommendations using GLIF3 has been tested by executing encoded guidelines against actual patient data. GLIF3 is accordingly ready for broader experimentation and prototype use by organizations that wish to evaluate its ability to capture the logic of clinical guidelines, to implement them in clinical systems, and thereby to provide integrated decision support to assist clinicians.
authors.affiliation: Decision Systems Group, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. aziz.boxwala@eclipsys.com
authors.forename: Aziz A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Boxwala
authors.forename: Mor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peleg
authors.forename: Samson
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Omolola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ogunyemi
authors.forename: Qing T
authors.initials: QT
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Dongwen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Vimla L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Greenes
authors.forename: Edward H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Shortliffe
mesh_terms: D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D003628:Database Management Systems; D016208:Databases, Factual; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D009323:Natural Language Processing; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D018511:Systems Integration; D014481:United States; D014584:User-Computer Interface