Using Case-Based Reasoning for Patient Diagnosis: An Expert System for Future GPs

Abstract

This project will be to conduct a Literature Review about existing case-based reasoning and expert systems. This will be done through secondary research gained from such sources as books, journals and articles. Learning about different systems and their similarities and differences should give an understanding of expert systems and how they are applied to healthcare.

Once secondary research is finished, primary research is undertaken to assists with the construction and basis of the specification for the new system. The primary research includes questionnaires and a semi structured interview with a medical student. Detailed information about their experiences with a healthcare professional should give insight on what to include for an efficient diagnosis system.

The programming language used to code the system will be Java language because of its large helpful community and powerful and useful tools and technology it offers. The database will be created using phpMyAdmin which used MySQL but has an easy to use interface which allows for more flexibility while creating tables and using statements. Budget is also a factor while choosing which languages to choose, and they are both free open source languages which is a great benefit.

To test the prototyped system a combination of both white box and black box testing was conducted. The use of both gives a big advantage, because they test various aspects of the prototyped system. White box testing was used to test the structure of the system while black box tests the design and usability of the system.

The conclusion compares the end prototype with the aims and objectives stated in the introduction to the project. It also compares the specification outline in the SCOPE of the project half way through. The conclusion of the project is a successful one, proving the concept of the system could be great benefit to medical students. However, the system can be improved significantly.