Computerised decision support tools are interactive software programs, used by decision makers to clarify decision options, focus thinking, and identify recommended courses of action.
Computerised decision support tools are designed to support, not replace decision making.
They can incorporate a range of data sources, such as guidelines, education, expert advice, company procedure, or statistical probabilities, into routine practice.
They provide a number of key functions, including;
Once the screening questions have been answered, the computer program runs the algorithm and displays the outcome on a results screen. Users can then view an appropriate message, dependent on the risk level.
The level of risk can also be represent visually.
Let's say that a user has accessed the screening tool to assess their risk of suffering a fall. They have completed the screening questions and the output shows that they have a 32.3% chance of suffering a fall over the next 5 years. Here, the probability on it's own is meaningless. Is 32.3% good, or should I be worried?
In this example, clinical expertise could be used to classify the probabilities into Low, Medium, or High Risk. We can then display an appropriate message, dependent on the risk level.
We can also visually represent the risk. One example we could use 100 faces. What we are saying here to the user, is that this represents 100 people who have entered exactly the same information as you. We could have 32 red faces (the ones that will suffer a fall) and 68 green faces (the ones that will not suffer a fall).
An additional benefit of Computerised Decision Support Tools is that they allow the user to print out their own personalised screening recommendation and results.
"I read all the relevant papers (some of them twice), yet came away feeling that i was floundering around in a muddy present rather than striding out into a brand new evidence based future..."
"...I want a simple chart or computer program that will allow me to assess and reduce the risk... so, until someone can clear the waters for me I think I'll just continue to muddle along."
Jeffries D (2000) " Having so many different guidelines about risk is so confusing" BMJ,321,175
Decision Support Tools can be operated on a standard computer, downloaded as an app or accessed via the internet.
These tools are based upon decision trees, which are populated from the chosen data source. The user is prompted with a series of questions, following which, the software interrogates the windows 7 starter decision tree and generates a tailor-made recommendation within seconds. Once the flowchart has been constructed and validated, a user interface is produced to gather data and operate the decision algorithm. The interface prompts the user with a series of questions relevant to the decision to be made. The user selects an appropriate answer from the choices given.
Source: http://www.mywinkeys.com/
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