The purpose of this contract is to provide support for the development and evaluation of the logical models and structures required to create a Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). Central UMLS components will be: (1) a Metathesaurus which will store biomedical concepts and terms in a canonical form to which multiple existing vocabularies and classifications will be mapped and (2) an Information Sources Map or Directory which can be used to identify and locate the biomedical information source(s) appropriate to a particular user's query. Direct users or computer applications will be able to select individual UMLS features or combinations of features to interpret questions, identify appropriate information sources, translate queries into a variety of different target vocabularies, and retrieve, evaluate, and organize information relevant to a particular query. The goal is not to impose a single vocabulary on all systems and users but to make the myriad of classifications of biomedical knowledge invisible to the user while providing a single logical path to a broad range of automated biomedical information. The contractor shall provide to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) personnel qualified to perform, and facilities and materials necessary to provide technical and intellectual services on a task assignment basis in support of the UMLS program.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
Type
Research and Development Contracts (N01)
Project #
N01LM083514-003
Application #
3666139
Study Section
Project Start
1988-06-30
Project End
1991-06-29
Budget Start
1990-01-09
Budget End
1991-06-29
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
053785812
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Forsythe, D E; Buchanan, B G; Osheroff, J A et al. (1992) Expanding the concept of medical information: an observational study of physicians' information needs. Comput Biomed Res 25:181-200
Osheroff, J A; Forsythe, D E; Buchanan, B G et al. (1991) Physicians' information needs: analysis of questions posed during clinical teaching. Ann Intern Med 114:576-81
Forsythe, D E; Buchanan, B G (1991) Broadening our approach to evaluating medical information systems. Proc Annu Symp Comput Appl Med Care :8-12