Work

Rule set reduction using augmented decision table and semantic subsumption techniques: application to cholesterol guidelines.

Year: 1992

Type: article

Abstract: Clinical practice guidelines must comprehensively address all logically possible situations, but this completeness may result in sizable and cumbersome rule sets. We applied rule set reduction techniques to a 576-rule set regarding recommendations for medication treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Using decision tables augmented with information regarding test costs and rule application frequencies, we sorted the rule sets prior to identifying irrelevant tests and eliminating unnecessary rules. Alternatively, we examined the semantic relationships among risk factors in hypercholesterolemia and applied a subsumption technique to reduce the rule set. Both methodologies resulted in substantial rule set compression (mean, 48-70%). Subsumption techniques proved superior for compacting a large rule set based on risk factors.

Source: PubMed Central

Authors: R N Shiffman, R A Greenes

Institutions: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Clinical practice guidelines implementation

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institutes of Health

Award: MEDICAL INFORMATICS RESEARCH TRAINING