Medical diagnosis: An information-processing approach

Abstract

A theory viewing human problem solving as a memory search of information organized into a hierarchy of categories was evaluated through the application of information-processing techniques to medical diagnosis. Information-processing methodology essentially involves the determination of the thought processes or symbolic manipulations necessary to the performance of a task and their precise specification as a computer program or model. To this end, a boarded clinical neurologist was asked to “think aloud” while solving a number of diagnostic problems. The information processes, decision rules and other evaluation criteria characteristic of diagnosis were extracted from these subjective verbal reports and incorporated in a computer program of the diagnostic process in medicine. The results supported the theory of diagnostic problem solving and the computer model based on this theory proved sufficient to perform diagnosis.