Methods Inf Med 2009; 48(04): 391-396
DOI: 10.3414/ME0591
Original Articles
Schattauer GmbH

Intention-based Expressions in GASTINE

A. Latoszek-Berendsen
1   School for Public Health and Primary Care: CAPHRI, University Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
,
P. de Clercq
3   MEDECS, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
,
J. van den Herik
3   MICC-IKAT, University Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
,
A. Hasman
4   Department of Medical Informatics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 05 September 2008

accepted: 26 January 2009

Publication Date:
17 January 2018 (online)

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Summary

Objectives: 1) To evaluate the design of the framework for computerized intention-based clinical practice guidelines; 2) to implement runtime features such as plan recognition and backtracking.

Method: To evaluate the design, we implemented the heart failure guideline into GASTINE, a tool for representing and executing intention-based clinical guidelines.

Result: Description of the current implementation of intention-based expressions in GASTINE and analysis of some generic shortcomings. Explanation of how these shortcomings are addressed. Presentation of how plan recognition and backtracking work and how they improve the system.

Conclusion: The improved guideline system is rather flexible, i.e., it allows deviations from the guideline as long as they are in the spirit of the guideline. The recognition of actions as intended by the users facilitates a flexible decision support system. The intentions are used to explain why certain actions were suggested. Therefore it is assumed that showing the intention behind suggested actions provides a better insight into why these actions are advised.