Newer Architectures For Clinical Decision Support

In recent years, the general IT community has been moving from a monolithic-type of software architecture to a service-oriented architecture that involves developing systems using independent, well-defined software services that are then coordinated to meet business needs. The main benefit of a service-oriented architecture is the ability to more easily and more rapidly implement needed business capabilities using independent software services. While lagging behind many industries, the healthcare industry has been moving towards a service-oriented architecture, including in the space of clinical decision support. In this chapter, we describe notable efforts in service-oriented clinical decision support and speculate on its potential evolution in the future.