ABSTRACT
Clinical decision-support systems (CDSS) apply best-known medical knowledge to patient data for the purpose of generating case-specific decision-support advice. CDSS forms the cornerstone of health informatics research and practice. It is an embedded concept in almost all major clinical information systems and plays an instrumental role in helping health care achieve its ultimate goal: providing high-quality patient care while, at the same time, assuring patient safety and reducing costs. This entry introduces the concept of clinical decision support from early generation artificial intelligence-based systems to the evolution of modern systems based on evidence-based clinical guidelines. The discussion also includes the key technological considerations of CDSS and the barriers inhibiting its widespread adoption and effective use.
