ONCOLOGIC PAIN INSTRUCTION/ADVISORY TREATMENT SYSTEM

THE GOAL IS AN INTERACTIVE COMPUTER PROGRAM TO FACILITATE TRANSFER OF STATE-OF-THE-ART CANCER PAIN MANAGEMENT INFORMATION TO PHYSICIANS, NURSES, AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, IN TRAINING AND IN PRACTICE. THE APPROACH ISA RULE-BASED EXPERT SYSTEM INCORPORATING RULES FOR PAIN DIAGNOSIS, PAIN MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING, AND INTERVENTION OUTCOME SIMULATION. PATIENT CONDITION DATA (CANCER DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, PAIN HISTORY, AND INTERVENTION RESPONSES) ARE ENTERED AND STORED IN STRUCTURED FRAMES. PREFORMULATED FRAMES PROVIDE "CANNED" PATIENT PAIN PROBLEMS FOR THE TRAINING MODE. IN THE TRAINING MODE, USER DECISIONS ARE CRITIQUED VIA BASIC PRINCIPLES AND SIMULATION/DISPLAY OF UNTOWARD CONSEQUENCES. IN THE CONSULTATIVE MODE, ALTERNATIVE SOUND/ACCEPTABLE INTERVENTION STRATEGIES ARE OFFERED, WITH UNDERLYING RATIONALE. THE AIMS OF PHASE I ARE TO: DEFINE THE OVERALL CONCEPT IN DETAIL AND IN A MANNER FULLY RESPONSIVE TO THE PERCEIVED NEEDS OF PRECEPTORS AND PRACTITIONERS; INVESTIGATE THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN ACHIEVING A WORKABLE ACCEPTABLE SYSTEM; AND DEVELOP AND PILOT TEST A PROTOTYPE EXPERT SYSTEM THAT PERFORMS THE ONCOLOGIC PAIN INSTRUCTIONAL AND ADVISORY TREATMENT (OPIAT) FUNCTIONS WITHIN A DELIMITED DOMAIN OF CANCER DIAGNOSES AND ASSOCIATED COMMON PAIN SYNDROMES. SUCCESSFUL PHASE I COMPLETION WOULD ESTABLISH CONFIDENCE IN OPIAT FEASIBILITY AND LEAD TO FORMULATION OF A PHASE II DEVELOPMENT PLAN.