title: Use of web services for computerized medical decision support, including infection control and antibiotic management, in the intensive care unit.
abstract: The increasing complexity of procedures in the intensive care unit (ICU) requires complex software services, to reduce improper use of antibiotics and inappropriate therapies, and to offer earlier and more accurate detection of infections and antibiotic resistance. We investigated whether web-based software can facilitate the computerization of complex medical processes in the ICU. The COSARA application contains the following modules: Infection overview, Thorax, Microbiology, Antibiotic therapy overview, Admission cause with comorbidity and admission diagnosis, Infection linking and registration, and Feedback. After the implementation and test phase, the COSARA software was installed on a physician's office PC and then on the bedside PCs of the patients. Initial evaluation indicated that the services had been integrated easily into the daily clinical workflow of the medical staff. The use of a service oriented architecture with web service technology for the development of advanced decision support in the ICU offers several advantages over classical software design approaches.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Information Technology (INTEC), Gent, Belgium. kristof.steurbaut@intec.ugent.be
authors.forename: Kristof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steurbaut
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Hoecke
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Colpaert
authors.forename: Kristof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lamont
authors.forename: Kristof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taveirne
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Depuydt
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Benoit
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Decruyenaere
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Turck
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003658:Decision Making, Computer-Assisted; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004363:Drug Utilization; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D020407:Internet; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D012984:Software; D012985:Software Design; D018511:Systems Integration; D057188:Workflow
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents