Temporal reasoning for automated workflow in health care enterprises

Abstract

We have demonstrated through example clinical scenarios, and results with our temporal reasoner Tachyon that temporal reasoning can be a valuable tool for managing and improving the workflow of business processes, particularly in healthcare. We have also identified areas where Tachyon can be extended to provide even more support for automated workflow.

Temporal reasoning is but one key component of our development plans to develop tools for automated workflow in healthcare. Our work will also make use of knowledge acquisition using graphical tools, resource logistics, simulation, and likns to EDI. These various capabilities must fit together within the workflow package.

Although tools for automated workflow tools are but one step in our ultimate vision for electronic commerce for virtual healthcare enterprises, a successfully implemented workflow environment is both a benchmark and a building block in that vision. It is a benchmark in that implemented workflow indicates that basic connectivity has been achieved. It is a building block in that implemented workflow allows an enterprise to monitor and improve its processes continually.

This research was (partially) done under a cooperative agreement between the National Institute of Standards and Technology Advanced Technology Program (under the HIIT contract, number 70NANB5H1011) and the Healthcare Open Systems and Trials, Inc consortium