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Health Initiative

The Web-Integration of PROAFTN Methodology for Acute Leukemia Diagnosis

This research project focuses on the research and development of a web-based clinical tool designed to improve the quality of the exchange of health information between health care professionals. Practitioners can also use this web-based tool to corroborate diagnosis. Initially, we used acute leukemia disease data to illustrate the efficacy of the diagnostic tool. More recently, we developed a new fuzzy classification method called PROAFTN to assist medical diagnosis. Results obtained using the PROAFTN method on acute leukemia diagnosis are promising. The challenge herein is to provide secure, remote access, to decision support tools and a standard framework for the exchange of health information, over inexpensive Internet communication pathways using web-based technologies.

The project started in August 2003 and is expected to end in July 2006.

The impact of our research results:

Using PROAFTN physicians will be able to exchange information with biologist-hematologists. Moreover, PROAFTN will assist practitioners in making more informed and objective life decisions in real time.

Research opportunities related to this project:

The research team will integrate the fuzzy multiple criteria classification methodology PROAFTN with a yet-to-be-developed web-based clinical database system using standard JSP, JavaBean, servlet, and XML technologies.

Special facilities/equipment related to this project:

The PROAFTN code was developed by Nabil Belacel prior to his joining NRC-IIT-e-Business, e-Health.

Technical transfer opportunities related to this project:

The developed system will help to:

1. make online diagnosis and to compare its performances with human practitioners of medicine;
2. implement a platform-neutral XML framework for the electronic exchange of hematological data between physicians, hematologists and biologists-hematologists;
3. assist online learning and simulation for training practitioners; and
4. provide a secure environment to ensure that health data transactions can occur with trust, confidentiality and integrity.

Possible applications include:

• Electronic health records
• Online medical diagnosis
• e-learning

We are seeking academic, public and private research partners for this project in the following domains:

• Biologists/hematologists
• Clinical decision support system
• Fuzzy classification
• Data mining

If interested, please contact the Research Officer listed below.

Research Contact

Dr. Nabil Belacel
Research Officer
Health Initiative
NRC Institute for Information Technology
55 Crowley Farm Road, Suite 1100-C, Scientific Park
Moncton, NB E1A 7R1
Telephone: +1 (506) 861-0963
Fax: +1 (506) 851-3630
E-mail: Nabil.Belacel@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Business Contact

Georges Corriveau
Business Development Officer
Business Development Office, New Brunswick
NRC Institute for Information Technology
55 Crowley Farm Road, Suite 1100-C, Scientific Park
Moncton, NB E1A 7R1
Telephone: +1 (506) 861-0954
Fax: +1 (506) 851-3630
E-mail: Georges.Corriveau@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca