PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nathaniel R. Greenbaum
AU  - Yacine Jernite
AU  - Yoni Halpern
AU  - Shelley Calder
AU  - Larry A. Nathanson
AU  - David Sontag
AU  - Steven Horng
TI  - Contextual Autocomplete: A Novel User Interface Using Machine Learning to Improve Ontology Usage and Structured Data Capture for Presenting Problems in the Emergency Department
AID  - 10.1101/127092
DP  - 2017 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 127092
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/04/12/127092.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/04/12/127092.full
AB  - Objective To determine the effect of contextual autocomplete, a user interface that uses machine learning, on the efficiency and quality of documentation of presenting problems (chief complaints) in the emergency department (ED).Materials and Methods We used contextual autocomplete, a user interface that ranks concepts by their predicted probability, to help nurses enter data about a patient’s reason for visiting the ED. Predicted probabilities were calculated using a previously derived model based on triage vital signs and a brief free text note. We evaluated the percentage and quality of structured data captured using a prospective before-and-after study design.Results A total of 279,231 patient encounters were analyzed. Structured data capture improved from 26.2% to 97.2% (p<0.0001). During the post-implementation period, presenting problems were more complete (3.35 vs 3.66; p=0.0004), as precise (3.59 vs. 3.74; p=0.1), and higher in overall quality (3.38 vs. 3.72; p=0.0002). Our system reduced the mean number of keystrokes required to document a presenting problem from 11.6 to 0.6 (p<0.0001), a 95% improvement.Discussion We have demonstrated a technique that captures structured data on nearly all patients. We estimate that our system reduces the number of man-hours required annually to type presenting problems at our institution from 92.5 hours to 4.8 hours.Conclusion Implementation of a contextual autocomplete system resulted in improved structured data capture, ontology usage compliance, and data quality.