Abstract:
The Medical field is vast and dynamic. To be effective in their professions, doctors are
required to keep track of the constant growth in knowledge that is taking place, although
it is unrealistic to expect them to do so fully. The knowledge in this field is inherently
descriptive and thus an unlikely candidate for storage in traditional databases, but instead
are found in textbases. In spite of the limitations of databases, they are still used in the
medical profession as they remain the standard means of storing information. The aim of
this study was to demonstrate that it is possible to provide a single interface to medical
knowledge in its more natural form, a textbase. This was achieved by investigating the
relevant areas, creating models for the various elements of the system, and subsequently
constructing such a system for demonstration. Through the use of data interaction
models, this work shows that the doctor’s knowledge can be adequately supplemented, as
validated by testing, enabling them to make correct decisions using the information
provided. Thus the opportunity exists to implement the methodology in other areas where
descriptive knowledge exists.
