A Model-Integrated, Guideline-Driven, Clinical Decision-Support System

Using evidence-based guidelines to standardize the care of patients with complex medical problems is a difficult challenge. In acute care settings, such as intensive care units, the inherent problems of stabilizing and improving vital patient parameters is complicated by the division of responsibilities among different healthcare team members. Computerized support for implementing such guidelines has tremendous potential. The use of model-integrated techniques for specifying and implementing guidelines as coordinated asynchronous processes is a promising new methodology for providing advanced clinical decision support. Combined with visual dashboards, which show the status of the implemented guidelines, a new approach to computer-supported care is possible. The Vanderbilt Medical Center is applying these techniques to the management of sepsis.