Integrated Care Program Phase 2

Decision Support Systems support clinical decision-making by GPs by offering patient-specific and situation-specific advice that compares patient characteristics with an accepted and credible knowledge base. A Decision Support System can, for instance, give GPs relevant information such as evidence-based guidelines or advice on medication and other treatment options that they can use when making clinical decisions about the most appropriate treatments for their patients.

The Integrated Care Program (ICP) focuses on the development of Electronic Decision Support Systems.  Electronic Decision Support Systems use evidence-based best practice guidelines in electronic format with a decision-making process that meets the needs of GPs for specific disease areas.

The ICP began in 1998, and Phase 1 of the project concluded in 2000. Phase 1 involved a number of stakeholders and explored options for the development of Electronic Decision Support Systems as a proof-of-concept project. The results of ICP Phase 1 provided sufficient evidence to warrant the commencement of Phase 2 in 2001.

The Integrated Care Program Phase 2 (ICP Phase 2) aims to assist GPs in the clinical management of various diseases through the development of computerised Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) incorporating evidence based best practice guidelines.  The project will focus on two disease areas, asthma and depression. A comprehensive external evaluation will be conducted and it is anticipated that the trials for each disease area will be completed by mid-2004.

The development of Decision Support Systems has the potential to greatly enhance clinical decision-making and play a major role in supporting GPs to manage patients with chronic disease.