From black bag to black box: will computers improve the NHS?

Preliminary experience with the Internet release of AIDA—an interactive educational diabetes simulator

“…The education is, therefore, based strongly on simulator training, As Donaldson has emphasised 'Various methods are available to evaluate information technology but they are not widely used. As a result, subjective methods (attitudes and opinions of users and systems designers) tend to subordinate established objective methods on the apparent premise that ''the system is worthwhile, it's just difficult to show that this is so''' [40]. This is the very predicament in which many computer-aided learning (CAL) software developers find themselves.…”

Design and Implementation of a Computer Decision Support System for the Diagnosis and Management of Dementia Syndromes in Primary Care

“…Evaluation of expert and clinical decision support systems can be difficult, and randomised controlled trials are the preferred (but not exclusive) method of evaluation, despite their methodological problems [39][40][41]. This decision support system is being compared with alternative forms of professional education in a randomised controlled trial in Scotland and London in which the outcomes will be: practitioner adherence to clinical guidelines, early and more accurate diagnosis of dementia, timely attention to other physical or mental health problems in the course of dementia and provision of appropriate referral to and information about support services.…”

The rise and ‘fall’ of expert systems in medicine

“…As EPR and CMR technology progressed, several largescale pilot studies were carried out. The high visibility and expensive nature of these projects provoked great interest in evaluation (Dick & Andrew, 1995) and the requirement that clinical systems should provide clinical and economic benefits proven through rigorous scientific experimentation (Donaldson, 1996;Lock, 1996). In the UK, the National Health Service initiated two hospital-based pilot projects intended to promote the use of IT in patient care: the EPR project and the Clinical Workstation (CWS) project (Brennan & Dodds, 1997).…”