A large part of any physician’s work, especially in non-procedural disciplines, involves acquiring information and then, aided by evidence and experience, making decisions for the best possible outcome. In earlier days, this whole process could take place in the brain of the practitioner. However, with the burgeoning amount of data now available for each patient and the increasing body of medical evidence, we need tools to help us make rational decisions based on all this information.
Computer technology can assist by generating case-specific advice for clinical decision making. The systems used are usually referred to as clinical decision support systems or CDSS.[1]