A frame-based representation for a bedside ventilator weaning protocol.
We describe the use of a frame-based knowledge representation to construct an adequately-explicit bedside clinical decision support application for ventilator weaning. The application consists of a data entry form, a knowledge base, an inference engine, and a patient database. The knowledge base contains database queries, a data dictionary, and decision frames. A frame consists of a title, a list of findings necessary to make a decision or carry out an action, and a logic or mathematical statement to determine its output. Frames for knowledge representation are advantageous because they can be created, visualized, and conceptualized as self-contained entities that correspond to accepted medical constructs. They facilitate knowledge engineering and provide understandable explanations of protocol outputs for clinicians. Our frames are elements of a hierarchical decision process. In addition to running diagnostic and therapeutic logic, frames can run database queries, make changes to the user interface, and modify computer variables.
Sorenson
D
D
Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, 5700 HSEB, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. dsorenson@hsc.utah.edu
Grissom
C K
CK
Carpenter
L
L
Austin
A
A
Sward
K
K
Napoli
L
L
Warner
H R
HR
Morris
A H
AH
D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014589:Utah; D015300:Ventilator Weaning / Q000379:methods*