HERA: AN EXPERT SYSTEM FOR PREVENTIVE CARE

HERA(TM), THE HEALTH RISK ADVISOR, IS AN EXPERT SYSTEM THAT WILL RUN ON HOME COMPUTERS. IT WILL, BY THE END OF SBIR PHASE I, PARSIMONIOUSLY COLLECT A PREVENTIVE MEDICINE HISTORY DIRECTLY FROM A LAY USER, THEN USE THIS HISTORY TO MAKE USER8SPECIFIC PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE RECOMMENDATIONS, BASED ON PRACTICE GUIDELINES STORED IN ITS KNOWLEDGE BASE. THE USER WILL BE STRONGLY URGED TO REVIEW THESE RECOMMENDATONS WITH A PHYSICIAN BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THEM. WHEN MORE THAN ONE FAMILY MEMBER HAS CONSULTED HERA, THE SYSTEM WILL, IN SBIR PHASE II, COLLATE THE INDIVIDUAL PREVENTION PLANS INTO AN INTEGRATED FAMILY PREVENTION PLAN, TAILORED TO THE FAMILY'S OWN LOGISTICAL PREFERENCES AND PECULIARITIES. FROM THE USER'S STANDPOINT, HERA WILL BE INFORMATIVE, TRUSTWORTHY, COMPREHENSIBLE, ACCOMODATING, INTERSTING, AND AFFORDABLE. FROM THE PROGRAMMER'S STANDPOINT, HERA WILL BE MODULAR, FLEXIBLE, EASILY UPDATABLE, VERIFIABLY ACCURATE, AND DELIVERABLE ON BOTH MACINTOSH AND IBM PERSONAL COMPUTERS. ALTHOUGH HEAR WILL BE AN "ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE" COMPUTER PROGRAM, WE THINK IT IS MORE USEFULLY VIEWED AS AN ELECTRONIC BOOK FOR LAYMEN ABOUT PREVENTIVE MEDICINE THAT IS ABLE TO TAILOR ITS ADICE TO THE SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE READER.