Has the Time Come for a Medical Expert System to go Down in the Bullring: The Tropicaid Experiment

Competent medical personnel is a condition of a good health service but it is still lacking in developing countries. Along with a humanitarian organization, we defined the specifications of a helping and teaching system for paramedical personnel in tropical dispensaries. With the results of a field trial, we present the system we are now working on: a hand-held computer including an expert system which deals with knowledge bases on drugs, treatments and diseases. It provides an aid in diagnosis and therapy. Moreover, it is easy to use and can be adapted to its working environment. Finally, we discuss the condition of suitability and acceptability of such systems and the place they could take in health system network.