I have been looking at some expert systems that could be used in garages and for whale watchers. I have also looked at the one that the NHS Direct uses.
On the NHS Direct website it gives you a ‘Body Key’ or ‘Alphabetical Index’ to help find out what may be wrong with you. I decided to use the ‘Body Key’. Below are screenshots of the steps I took to find out what was wrong.
2.2: Expert Systems for Health Diagnosis
1. I had to select what part of the body was in pain. I decided that it was my arms.
2. I then had to select what was likely to be wrong with my arm.
3. I then selected either yes or no depending on the symptoms I had. When it had come to a conclusion it told me what might be wrong and tells me what to do.
The expert systems for the NHS are very easy and simple to use. You could move onto the next question with just one click of the mouse. It was a self-help guide and available for anyone with access to a PC to visit. Even though if you was seriously ill you would not want to waste your time looking up what was wrong on the PC – you would just want to go straight to the hospital or NHS.
2.3: Changes in Working Practices
There have been many changes that have occurred in the Health Service with the introduction of ICT devices and systems. Patient records used to be done by hand with pen and paper and kept in a filing cabinet but since ICT has been introduced the patient records are now produced in a database. This is easier for the hospital to transfer patient information to another hospital within seconds, but if they were stored in a filing cabinet it would take a long time to transfer the information, which may be needed urgently. Also documents can be saved in many places whereas if the files in a filing cabinet could be destroyed with no other copies left. This also means that more than one person can access the data at the same time, which reduces the number of cases where people have to wait for information.
ICT has made the process of handling drugs and medicine records and stock a lot easier to manage. Before a receptionist would have had to have all records and stock recorded on file paper, and would have to spend time making changes to them. Since the introduction if ICT the receptionist can easily change any details as well as check up on stock using ICT.
As shown in the last project the Centre now has the Patient database, which allows access to any details needed. This is contrary to before, as all data would have been recorded on paper and then filed away among the other records. This was a disadvantage as it would be time consuming to find and change details without the use of ICT. The use of ICT has also reduced the number of critical sudden fatalities. The use of machines like heart monitors with alarms has made a great improvement to the days when a nurse would check every so often.
The introduction of safety equipment has been helpful to any health service that uses them. Staff and patients can now feel safer as goods such as CCTV have reduced the number of crimes in the health service. This is more useful to the time before ICT where there would be no CCTV evidence to be used in a court of law for example.
ICT has also helped towards a safer environment for staff and patients to be in. Automatic fire alarms for example were not available before the introduction of ICT, so the new system enables a quicker and safer evacuation of the building and a quicker call out to the fire brigade.
2.4: Why Build a System
The partners have decided that it is important to educate the patients about health related issues. If a patient knows more about an illness that they have it could help them take further care in the future and reduce the number of ill people in the community.
This will also make the doctors less busy. Instead of pestering a doctor for information a patient will be able to use the new system. This is an advantage because it means that the staff can treat patients quicker.
The new system will also make the centre look more advanced. This is a good idea because instead of the centre looking old fashioned it now looks modern and up to date which will also attract more people to the centre.
The new system will hopefully help patients feel more relaxed about exploring the issues regarding personal health. For example, instead of having to ask a doctor an embarrassing question they can consult the new system with a sense of privacy.
As a result of the new system the staff will gain extra knowledge of ICT as they will have to take courses in how to run the system. Unfortunately there are drawbacks; including the cost of training the staff on how to use the new system. It will also increase the knowledge of certain patients. For example if a patient has never used a touch screen before they will gain knowledge on how to operate one.
2.5: Benefits of System for Patients
There are many people who do not like visiting the doctors due to a large waiting time and the element of boredom whilst waiting to be seen. Hopefully the new system will give patients something to do while they are waiting to be seen, which will remove the element of boredom.
Also people do not like how formal a health centre is. The new system could be designed to look fun and entertaining to make the centre look more casual, and hence make them feel more relaxed about coming to the centre.
One of the ideas for the new system is to make repeat prescriptions available. This will save a large amount of time for both staff and patients. A patient can now simply walk into the centre and quickly get a repeat prescription without having to book an appointment. It also saves time for staff that do not have to book appointments with patients just to give them a prescription. This will let more people see doctors for more urgent tings.
2.6: Benefits of System for Health Centre
One of the main reasons the Centre wants the new system is to give patients something to do while they are waiting to be seen by a doctor. The new system may make patients feel happier about finding out the data for themselves, which will then improve the reputation of the centre via word of mouth.
The system will also give patients the chance to look up valuable pieces of information that will improve their knowledge of health. Any kind of knowledge is helpful, and patients may feel happy that the Centre is providing this kind of service.
3: Research
3.1: Input Devices
3.2: Display Devices
3.3: Health Information
3.4: Diet Information
3.5: Repeat Prescription Application
3.6: Design Specification
4: Design
4.1: Two Structures
4.2: Two Layouts
4.3: Outline Story Board
5: Implementation
5.1: Suitability of design
5.2: Development of System
5.3: Hardware Report
5.4: Software Report
6: Testing
6.1: Reasons for Testing
6.2: Methods for Testing
6.3: Test Plan
6.4: Evidence of Tests
6.5: Improvements After Testing
7: Documentation
7.1: User Guide
7.2: Technical Guide
7.3: Review of Guides
7.4: Improved User Guide
7.5: Improved Technical Guide
8: Evaluation
8.1: Comparison With Design Specification
8.2: Comparison With a real System
8.3: Benefits and Drawbacks of Finished System
8.4: Training Required
