EXPERT SYSTEM ADVISOR FOR DRUG DETOXIFICATION

THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A RULE-BASED, INTERACTIVE COMPUTEREXPERT SYSTEM (DETOX) THAT WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PHYSICIANS IN WRITING DETOXIFICATION ORDERS FOR SEDATIVE-HYPNOTIC, OPIATE, AND STIMULANT WITHDRAWAL. INAPPROPRIATE DETOXIFICATION PROTOCOLS CAN BE AT BEST INEFFECTIVE AND AT WORST LETHAL. THE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED FOR PREPARING APPROPRIATE DETOXIFICATION PROTOCOLS IS HIGHLY SPECIALIZED, BUT FOR MANY PHYSICIANS, THIS KNOWLEDGE IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE. DETOX WILL PROVIDE A MEANS OF ALLOWING PHYSICIANS TO EASILY TAP THIS KNOWLEDGE. THE EXPECTED BENEFITS ARE: (1) SAFER AND MORE ACCURATE DETOXIFICATION PROCEDURES, (2) MORE RELIABLE TREATMENT, (3) MORE RAPID DELIVERY OF TREATMENT, AND (4) LOWER TREATMENT COSTS. DETOX WILL INCLUDE ALL SEDATIVE-HYPNOTICS, OPIATES, AND STIMULANTS IN THE PHYSICIAN'S DESK REFERENCE; THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE BEERS, WINES, AND LIQUORS; WITHDRAWAL PROTOCOLS AND KEY REFERENCES TO PUBLISHED DETOXIFICATION PROTOCOLS; AND STREET DRUG NOMENCLATURE. THE EXPERT SYSTEM WILL EMULATE A PHYSICIAN EXPERT IN WRITING DETOXIFICATION ORDERS. THE SYSTEM USER, IN RESPONSETO COMPUTER PROMPTS, WILL ENTER THE PATIENT'S DRUG HISTORY AND OTHER MEDICAL INFORMATION NEEDED BY THE EXPERT SYSTEM TOCOMPUTE THE WITHDRAWAL SCHEDULE. OUTPUT OF THE SYSTEM IS A DETOXIFICATION PROTOCOL, A SUMMARYOF MEDICAL FACTS CONSIDERED IN COMPUTING THE SCHEDULE, AND THE FORMS NEEDED TO CLINICALLY MONITOR THE PATIENT DURING WITHDRAWAL. THE EXPERT SYSTEM WILL BE VALIDATED BY COMPARING THE COMPUTER-GENERATED WITHDRAWAL SCHEDULES TO SCHEDULES PREPARED BY PHYSICIAN EXPERTS.