Case-Based Reasoning in the Care of Alzheimer's Disease Patients

Abstract. Planning the ongoing care of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients is a complex task, marked by cases that change over time, multiple perspectives, and ethical issues. Geriatric interdisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses and social workers currently plan this care without computer assistance. Although AD is incurable, interventions are planned to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. Much of the reasoning involved is case-based, as clinicians look to case histories to learn which interventions are e ective, to document clinical ndings, and to train future health care professionals. There is great variability among AD patients, and within the same patient over time. AD is not yet well enough understood for universally e ective treatments to be available. The case-based reasoning (CBR) research paradigm complements the medical research approach of nding treatments e ective for all patients by matching patients to treatments that were e ective for simi...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2001
• Where: ICCBR
• Authors: Cynthia R. Marling, Peter Whitehouse
• Keywords: AD Patients, Automated Reasoning, Geriatric Interdisciplinary Teams, ICCBR 2001, Ongoing Care