SimPal Decision Systems

The Cleveland Clinic Risk Calculator Constructor

A novel web-based tool that assists statisticians in creating multi-platform risk calculators, developed with the Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute under a grant from the National Library of Medicine.

Interoperable Representations for Clinical Knowledge

We are collaborating with the AHRQ funded Clinical Decision Support Consortium to develop a series of interrelated, inter-operaable XML-based representations for clinical practice guidelines and other decision support artifacts, to relate knowledge along the continuum of text to computational levels.

HGML

The Hypertext Guideline Markup Language (HGML), is an XML/XHTML specification for the identification of condition and recommendation elements within text documents, serving as the basis for a knowledge delivery platform. Our patented markup process [US Patent 7,373,597] results a "machine operable" representation of text documents, such as clinical practice guidelines, that can be used to automatically generate relevant recommendations, allowing clinicians to conveniently access the underlying guideline content relevant to particular clinical scenarios.

To ease the process of marking up guidelines we are developing a series of web-browser-based knowledge editing and markup tools, such as a markup editor based on the Mozilla Firefox "Annozilla" extension.

Web-Based, Dynamic Decision Model Interfaces

We have developed an architecture for the the presentation and dynamic evaluation of decision models (such as decision trees or Markov simulations) using web-based interfaces. Such interfaces allow parameters of an underlying model to be clearly documented, modified, evaluated and presented.
Applications include:

The Interactive Pneumococcal Vaccination Model: A web-browser-based interface for a dynamic cost-effectiveness model for vaccine policy decision-making, developed in conjunction with Johns-Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, under a grant from the GAVI Alliance, with supplementary assistance from the World Health Organization.
The Interactive Contraceptive Choice Model (restricted access): An interactive software analytic package for comparisons of contraceptive methods to support formulary coverage decisions developed for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Ltd.
The Stroke Prevention Policy Model (restricted access): A user-friendly interface that performs a MonteCarlo simulation of a semi-Markov model, developed for the Center for Clinical Health Policy Research, Duke University to simulate the outcomes of stroke.

Decision Maker / WinDM / XDM

"Decision Maker" is an application for building and evaluating decision analytic models (such as decision [analytic] trees), used by the academic medical decision making community and sited in hundreds of publications since the 1970's. A perpetual beta-test version of the "WinDM" application for the Windows platform is available for free download. A cross-platform evaluation engine "XDM", particularly useful for extremely efficient Monte Carlo evaluation of Markov models, is also available.

Improved Classifier Design through Bioinformatics

Statistical analysis and classifier design to improve testing for Lyme Disease through the application of partial-ROC regression optimization methods performed for Infectious Disease Consultants, PC, LLC.

UMaker

UMaker is a utility assessment tool that allows health states to be compared from the perspectives of Categorical-Scales, Time-Tradeoff and Reference-Lottery. It is also available as perpetual beta-test software. We've also been developing an exciting new browser-based version, XUMaker that makes use of the Scalable Vector Graphics features built into the latest versions of the Mozilla/Firefox web browser.