HEALTH CARE COSTS INCREASED FROM A FEW BILLION DOLLARS IN 1950 TO $350 BILLION IN 1984, AND THEY ARE PROJECTED TO REACH $700 BILLION BY 1990.

HEALTH CARE COSTS INCREASED FROM A FEW BILLION DOLLARS IN 1950 TO $350 BILLION IN 1984, AND THEY ARE PROJECTED TO REACH $700 BILLION BY 1990. IN 1926 WE SPENT 3.5% OF OUR GNP ON HEALTH CARE. THIS INCREASED TO ABOUT 11% IN 1984 AND IS EXPECTED TO TOP 15% OF OUR GNP BY THE YEAR 2,000. THIS PROJECT WILL DESIGN A HOME COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM BY ASSISTING PARTICIPANTS TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH CARE INTELLIGENTLY. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE IS TO REDUCE THE COST OF MEDICAL CARE BY INCREASING AWARENESS OF PREVENTIVE AND SELF-CARE MEASURES BY USE OF THE PROPOSED COMPUTER PROGRAM, AND TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON COSTLY MEDICAL TREATMENT THE PROGRAM WILL BE USER FRIENDLY, MENU DRIVEN, AND PROVIDE FOR INPUT OF MEDICAL/HEALTH HISTORY, PREVENTIVE HEALTH MEASURES, SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSTIC SCREENING, AND POSSIBLE SELF-TREATMENT. THE PROGRAM WILL RECOMMEND THAT PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE BE SOUGHT IF THE SITUATION PHASE I WILL BE USED TO EVALUATE AVAILABLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMS AND SPECIALIZED DATABASES. CONSULTANTS WILL ASSIST WITH THE RESEARCH DESIGN, STATISTICS, DEVELOPING ALGORITHMS, AND FLOWCHARTS PHASE II WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP THE MICROCOMPUTER PROGRAMS, SELECTING THE SAMPLE POPULATION, CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS, AND GATHERING AND ANALYZING DATA (24 MOS.).