Computer-Based Medical Decision Making: From MYCIN to VM Lawrence M. Fagan, Edward H. Shortliffe, and Bruce G. Buchanan

Since the early 1970s, researchers in computer-based medical reasoning have begun to recognize the potential benefits of applying symbolic reasoning techniques in clinical domains (see Chapter 3). One such research group is the Heuristic Programming Project at Stanford University. The first medical reasoning program developed by the project, known as the MYCIN system (Shortliffe, 1976), adopted symbolic processing techniques largely in response to a conviction that computer-based consultation systems, in order to be accepted by physicians, should be able to explain how and why a particular conclusion has been derived. Such systems should also be able to incorporate, organize, manipulate, and update large quantities of medical knowledge. Subsequently, a series of additional medical application programs using MYCIN's techniques has been created.