Title: A knowledge-based primary care approach to increase breast screening attendance

Authors: V. Baskaran, R.K. Bali, H. Arochena, R.N.G. Naguib, M. Wheaton, M. Wallis, Nilmini Wickramasinghe

Addresses: Biomedical Computing and Engineering Technologies Applied Research Group (BIOCORE), Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Coventry University, Priory street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK. ' Biomedical Computing and Engineering Technologies Applied Research Group (BIOCORE), Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Coventry University, Priory street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK. ' Biomedical Computing and Engineering Technologies Applied Research Group (BIOCORE), Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Coventry University, Priory street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK. ' Biomedical Computing and Engineering Technologies Applied Research Group (BIOCORE), Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Coventry University, Priory street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK. ' Warwickshire, Solihull & Coventry Breast Screening Service University Hospitals, Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust University Hospital, Ground Floor West Wing, Clifford Bridge Road, CV2 2DX, Coventry. ' Cambridge Breast Unit, Box 97, Addenbrooke's Hospital, CB2 2QQ, Cambridge, UK. ' Centre for the Management of Medical Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Stuart School of Business, 565 W Adams St, Suite 406 Chicago, IL 60661, USA

Abstract: The static rate of breast screening attendance in the UK has been of concern in the fight against breast cancer mortality. This paper highlights how primary care can play a vital role in addressing this issue. Knowledge created through prediction mechanisms and sharing them with care deliverers forms the core of this discussion. Knowledge-based alerts are employed to initiate interventions to increase the breast screening attendance. This paper highlights the various factors that are to be considered while deploying such initiatives in primary care setting and validates them through a questionnaire-based survey.

Keywords: breast screening attendance; UK; United Kingdom; primary care; knowledge-based alerts; information technology; AI; artificial intelligence; knowledge management; attendance prediction; intervention; EDI; electronic data interchange.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2009.022914

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2009 Vol.2 No.2, pp.172 - 188

Published online: 03 Feb 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article