Next-generation business-to-consumer electronic
commerce applications will rely more on locating,
integrating, and presenting valuable information to
consumers than implementing simple economic
exchanges. While there are certainly profits to be
captured in the economic exchange, the upstream
information gathering and decision making activities
offer some interesting opportunities for consumer
support. Data warehousing offers the ability to
implement consumer decision support systems that
allow consumers to identify an interesting subset of
fine-grained transactions, analyze the data, and
produce customized reports. This paper uses an
existing health care data warehouse to explore the
use of detailed data in constructing consumer
decision support systems. The health care arena is
characterized by complex consumer decision
making, such as the need to become educated with
regard to a particular illness and the various
treatment options. The example reports demonstrate
how detailed knowledge regarding the health care
delivery system, including hospitals and physicians,
can supplement the clinical perspective of an
informed consumer.