Which Soft? : decision support software

In this project we developed a decision support software that helps to choose the best decision software, but can also be applied to any other problem of selection. It is based on multicriteria methods. With this software we try to give each user the best solution, depending on his preferences. The entire project was planned and outlined in UML, implemented in C# and the database was built with SQL Server. It was a project divided into three main stages: requirements gathering, UML specification and implementation phase

Nurses' views of using computerized decision support software in NHS Direct

Background. Nurses working in NHS Direct, the 24-hour telephone advice line in England, use computerized decision support software to recommend to callers the most appropriate service to contact, or to advise on self-care. Aims. To explore nurses' views of their roles and the computerized decision support software in NHS Direct. Methods. Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with 24 NHS Direct nurses in 12 sites. Findings. Nurses described both the software and themselves as essential to the clinical decision-making process. The software acted as safety net, provider of consistency, and provider of script, and was relied upon more when nurses did not have clinical knowledge relevant to the call. The nurse handled problems not covered by the software, probed patients for the appropriate information to enter into the software, and interpreted software recommendations in the light of contextual information which the software was unable to use. Nurses described a dual process of decision-making, with the nurse as active decision maker looking for consensus with the software recommendation and ready to override recommendations made by the software if necessary. However, nurses' accounts of the software as a guide, prompt or support did not fully acknowledge the power of the software, which they are required to use, and the recommendation of which they are required to follow under some management policies. Over time, the influence of nurse and software merges as nurses internalize the software script as their own knowledge, and navigate the software to produce recommendations that they feel are most appropriate. Conclusions. The nurse and the software have distinct roles in NHS Direct, although the effect of each on the clinical decision-making process may be difficult to determine in practice

Pasture Land Management System Decision Support Software

Controlled or rotational grazing provides benefits to producers and society through profitable and sound management of grazing land and livestock. Pasture land management system (PLMS) is a decision support system developed to help university, government, and professionals provide technical pasture management assistance to beef and dairy producers. The PLMS focuses on the balance between seasonal forage supply and nutrient demand in a dairy or beef cattle operation. It allows users to explore and compare alternatives (dividing fields into multiple paddocks, changing stocking rates, and forage species) through a visual display and embedded simulation. Users enter a description of the farm by drawing a map. Maps can be drawn freehand, traced over a scanned image, or GIS data may be incorporated. Once map and field data are entered the grazing options are specified via input screens. Grazing systems can be easily compared without economic risk and with almost immediate feedback on how these alternative systems affect variables like milk production and pounds of beef sold. PLMS serves as both an educational tool and a strategic planning tool for evaluating alternative grazing operations and management related investments (website: http://clic.cses.vt.edu/PLMS/)

Decision Support Software for Palmer Amaranth Weed Control

Herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth [Amaranthus palmeri (S.) Wats.] has been identified as one of the most troublesome weeds, specifically for corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] producers in the southern United States. The use of herbicide technology remains the most widely used method of weed control, despite the evolution of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth. Therefore, a need currently exists for research and extension education to encourage the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to address the problem of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth in the southern United States. By equipping crop producers, educators, and weed management consultants with tools to evaluate the long-run biological and economic implications of different Palmer amaranth weed control practices, producers are expected to realize the benefits of adopting IPM strategies. As such, the Palmer Amaranth Management (PAM) software was developed to help producers, educators and researchers, and weed management consultants analyze long-run implications of chemical and non-chemical weed control options in crop production in the mid-southern United States. In addition to promoting the regional adoption of IPM techniques, PAM is expected to improve coordination among researchers, educators, and extension agents, and help producers to realize the economic and environmental benefits of IPM adoption, such as improved crop yields and increased profitability, preservation of the long-term efficacy of available herbicides, and minimized environmental risks. Therefore, the research objective of this project was to develop a decision support software program to highlight the long-term effects of management practices on soil seedbank and economics to encourage the adoption of IPM methods for Palmer amaranth

Collaborative Decision Support Software for the 21st Century

Information-age organizations require information access within organizations and across organizational boundaries for collective decision making. WebIQ, a web-based software technology designed to support decision-making in information-age organizations, will be demonstrated

Exploring demographic and lifestyle associations with patient experience following telephone triage by a primary care doctor or nurse:secondary analyses from a cluster randomised controlled trial

The ESTEEM trial was a cluster randomised controlled trial that compared two telephone triage management systems (general practitioner (GP) or a nurse supported by computer decision support software) with usual care, in response to a request for same-day consultation in general practice