MEDAL: the Medical Algorithms Project
| developed by |
clinical domains |
keywords |
| The Medical Algorithms Project; owned by the Institute for Algorithmic Medicine, a Texas non-profit corporation
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Multiple |
Cross-referenced medical dictionary, differential diagnosis, diagnoses database, disease glossary, medication knowledge database, UMLS |
| commissioned |
status |
Access |
| 2000 |
Available for clinical use - under continuous development |
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| description |
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The MEDAL repository consists of over 6,100 algorithms, spanning major medical domains. These have been collected, processed and organized into 45 chapters. Each chapter consists of an MS Excel 97 Workbook and an Acrobat pdf document and can be individually downloaded by Health Professionals without charge for review and use.
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| references |
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KA Johnson, JR Svirbely, MG Sriram et al. Automated Medical Algorithms: Issues for Medical Errors. Proc. AMIA 1999.
[MEDAL]
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"
Medical errors can be reduced by the sharing of medical information and the correct application of medical information. A wealth of medical information exists in the form of published medical algorithms. These algorithms represent a summary of medical research ranging from simple calculations such as Body-Mass Index to complex outcome predictions. Application of such algorithms can generate information crucial to the clinical process. The barriers to their application include (among others): the lack of knowledge that they exist, uncertainty about their boundaries, difficulty in converting to the units expressed in the algorithm, and lack of availability at the point of care. Automation of medical algorithms can serve to both share the medical information as well as assist in the correct application of that information.
" |
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G Kantor, JR Svirbely, KA Johnson et al. MEDAL: The Medical Algorithm Project. Proc. MedInfo 2001.
[MEDAL]
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"
There are numerous algorithms in health care, but most practitioners use only a small subset routinely. Algorithms would be more widely utilized if they were readily available in a usable format to clinicians, educators and researchers. A centralized, free repository of automated medical algorithms would be beneficial to the practice of medicine.
" |
|
| contact |
links |
Dr John R. Svirbely, M.D.
M.G. Sriram, Ph.D.
Institute for Algorithmic Medicine
USA
DrJohn@mhmh.org (on medical matters)
mgsriram99@yahoo.com (on non-medical matters).
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| Acknowledgement |
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Entry on OpenClinical: 17 September 2003
Last main update: 18 September 2003
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The Medical Algorithms Project