CSC 379 SUM2008:Week 5, Group 4
Decision Support Systems
General overview here [Russ]
DSS in the Military
[CJ]
DSS in Health Care
Decision support has been around for years for the health care industry in the form of the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR). The PDR is a tool that doctors can use to look up treatment options to certain situations. The PDR has recently become electronic, allowing doctors to have the PDR on their hand held devices. Some health systems are using AI systems to help make diagnosis. You can find a full list here: [1]. DSS's are a great way for a hospital to ensure the quality of care by being able to monitor treatment and compare it to the expected treatment for a patient. Another way it assists is to speed up work flow by putting doctors on the right track faster.
People who are against DSS in health care say that a computer cannot process all of the complicated issues that go into treating a patient. There are several issues to take into account when treating a patient including finances and religious beliefs. Another reason that people are wary of clinical DSS is that the data behind the systems is not always accurate. Medical science changes often and the data that backs a DSS needs to be updated and verified on a constant basis. Also it is unknown where the sources of this data is. Recently the PDR came under attack for using information about drugs that were still in an experimental phase [2].
Other applications
[russ]
Assignment definition
As we become more willing to incorporate more complex software into our daily lives, we are able to solve problems with fewer people and less complex organizational structures. To allow one person to take the place of a decision group, decision-support systems have been developed. These systems distill expert knowledge and present it to the individual. Many decision-support systems are in use in medicine, to guide diagnoses, recommend treatments to practitioners, and assist with risk-assessment of procedures. Software also helps forestall medical emergencies through patient monitoring. In the military, decision support systems are everywhere, from the fast-paced environment of a fighter-jet cockpit to command-and-control centers. Other decision-support systems are used in business and government.
It is easy to see how decision-support systems could cause harm, as well as prevent it. Examine the ethical considerations raised in the design and use of decision-support systems (in general). What, if any ethical responsibilities apply to the software engineer in development of a decision-support system where errors in its design or use could result in serious harm? If a decision-support system is shown to reduce harm, improve quality of life, or otherwise provide a net-benefit to its users (fewer medical errors, battleground casualties, reduced costs of providing an essential public service, etc.), is it unethical to resist its adoption? Please explain your answers.