BMJ : British medical journal
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To compare three methods of support for inexperienced staff in their diagnosis and management of patients with acute abdominal pain--namely, with (a) structured data collection forms, (b) real time computer aided decision support, and (c) computer based teaching packages. ⋯ The results confirm earlier studies in suggesting that the use of computer aided decision support improves diagnostic and decision making performance when dealing with patients suffering from acute abdominal pain. That use of the computer for teaching gave results at least as good as with its use for direct feedback may be highly relevant for those who are apprehensive about the real time use of diagnostic computers in a clinical setting.
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To determine the outcome of out of hospital defibrillation in Scotland during the year after the introduction of automated external defibrillators in October 1988. ⋯ An effective scheme for out of hospital defibrillation can be introduced rapidly, and with limited training implications and costs, by the use of automated external defibrillators in ambulances.