Expert Systems

• The computer can store far more information than a GP. It can draw on a wide variety of sources such as stored knowledge from books, case studies to help in diagnosis and advice on things such as prescriptions / symptoms

• The computer does not 'forget' or make mistakes – remembers obscure cases of heart diseases

• Data can be kept up-to-date e.g. adding more results of radiology scans / constant updating

• The expert system is always available 24 hours a day.

• Will never 'retire' - no loss of expertise

• The system can be used at a distance over a network. Therefore rural areas or even poorer third world countries have access to experts.

• Provides accurate predictions with probabilities of all possible problems with more accurate advice especially for obscure illnesses

• Some people prefer the privacy of 'talking' to a computer rather than talking to a GP

• Gives the doctor more time to deal with other patients / saves overloading doctors in epidemic/pandemic

• Can provide a second opinion

• It can help train young doctors in unfamiliar diseases.

• People can do an initial diagnosis from home saving them travel and time costs especially if in a rural area or have long waiting lists to see a GP, e.g. if you suspect your has a rash you could quickly check the symptoms for meningitis.

Cheaper to update than to train doctors

Training using simulators

Using NHS Direct allows self- diagnosis

• Over reliance on IT system

• Loss of doctor expertise

• Cost to buy and set up the system

• Some people do not like to talk to a computer

• People can convince themselves that they are worse than they from misusing the online version

• Some ‘experts’ could lose their jobs or not be given training if computers are available to on the job.

• Lacks the 'human touch' – lack of personal contact

• Dependent upon the correct information being given. If data or rules wrong the wrong advice could be given.

• Expert systems have no "common sense". They have no understanding of what they are for, nor of what the limits of their applicability are, nor of how their recommendations fit into a larger context. If MYCIN were told that a patient who has received a gunshot wound is bleeding to death, the program would attempt to diagnose a bacterial cause for the patient's symptoms.

• Expert systems can make absurd errors, such as prescribing an obviously incorrect dosage of a drug for a patient whose weight and age are accidentally swapped by the clerk.