[SmartCare: automatizing clinical guidelines].
In critical care environments, important medical and economic challenges are presented by the enhancement of therapeutic quality and the reduction of therapeutic costs. For this purpose, several clinical studies have demonstrated a positive impact of the adoption of so-called clinical guidelines. Clinical guidelines represent well documented best practices in healthcare and are fundamental aspects of evidence-based medicine. However, at the bedside, such clinical guidelines remain difficult to use by clinical staff. The knowledge-based technology SmartCare allows incorporation of arbitrary computerized clinical guidelines into various medical target systems. SmartCare constitutes a clinical guideline engine because it executes one or more clinical guidelines on a specific medical device. SmartCare was initially applied for the automated control of a mechanical ventilator to assist the process of weaning from a medical device. The methodology allows further applications to be implemented effectively with other medical devices and/or with other appropriate guidelines. In this paper, we report on the methodology and the resulting versatility of such a system, as well as the clinical evaluation of SmartCare/PS and its perspectives.
Mersmann
Stefan
S
Research and Development Clinical Software Solutions, Dräger Medical AG & Co. KG, Lübeck, Deutschland. stefan.mersmann@draeger.com
D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D004282:Documentation / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D005858:Germany; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000592:standards*; D012984:Software