On accurate, automated and insightful deviation analysis of clinical protocols

Abstract

Clinical guidelines, pathways and protocols are introduced to standardize and provide best-practice care. Analyzing deviations of actual care against the documented best practices is useful to find opportunities for complying better in the future. Prior work demonstrates that deviation analyses should be accurate, automated and insightful but only few studies manage to satisfy all three intentions. In this paper, we manage to reconcile accuracy with automation and insightfulness by combining the previously disconnected steps of checking and mining in compliance analysis software. Results are achieved using an algorithm that consists of three steps. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm via a real-life case from the intensive care unit of a Dutch hospital.