| Title | The Demise of the "Greek Oracle" Model for Medical Diagnostic Systems |
| Author(s) | R. A. Miller; F.E. Masarie, Jr. |
| Source | Meth. Inform. Med., Vol. 29, No. 1, Pages 1-2 |
| Publication Date | 1990 |
| Abstract | During the 1970's, enthusiasm reigned regarding the role that "artificial intelligence" (AI) and "expert consultant systems" might play in medical informatics and ultimately in medical practice. However, time has tempered that enthusiasm with realism. AI techniques are indeed valuable components in the armamentarium of medical informaticians, but their widespread applicability has not been realized. It is the authors' belief that early system developers incorporated an ambitious model for diagnostic decision support that contributed to the current lack of widespread acceptance of diagnostic expert systems. We discuss below how the authors' own attitudes toward diagnostic decision support have changed over the last decade with respect to the INTERNIST-1 project, leading to its successor, Quick Medical Reference (QMR). |