EXPERIENCE WITH A MODEL OF SEQUENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

A physician must have available two different classes of information when he attempts to deal with a diagnostic problem: the presenting signs and symptoms of the patient, and the pertinent medical knowledge about the disease state. The physician must then use this information in arriving at certain decisions: what additional information about the condition of the patient should be collected; what disease states are most probable; what are the potential consequences of misdiagnosis; what are the therapeutic and prognostic implications of the particular clinical situation. The possibility of significant errors in a diagnostic problem coupled with the decision-making activities involved have motivated the development of a wide range of tools to improve the performance of the diagnostician. This paper reports on an effort to exploit computer technology as such a tool for assistance in the diagnostic activity. © 1968.