Exploring Rules Engines as an Artificial Intelligence Application in Medicine: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Abstract Background The past decade has witnessed significant efforts toward optimizing medical care through the incorporation of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Rules engines have emerged as key applications in this transformative process, aiming to enhance the quality and efficiency of healthcare systems. Objective This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the research conducted on rules engines within the medical literature, focusing on their functionalities, the types of tasks they can perform, the evaluated clinical outcomes, and the technologies employed in clinical practice. Methods This review adhered to the Arksey and O'Malley framework and followed the PRISMA-ScR checklist (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews). A systematic search of the PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted, using specific eligibility criteria. The study included English publications that focused on the utilization of rules engines in medicine. Results Nineteen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles exhibited heterogeneity in scope and employed various types of rules engines, encompassing a limited range of medical domains. Several types of rules engines were identified, each contributing to the improvement of clinical outcomes. Descriptive formative designs were employed in ten out of nineteen (53%) articles. The studies primarily targeted chronic diseases and medical practices requiring special attention, such as diabetes mellitus (DM), adverse drug events (ADEs), and pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) settings. The most frequently utilized rules engine was Drools. Conclusions The scarcity of published studies on the potential utilization of rules engines in medicine is evident. However, all included studies in this review demonstrated the advantages of incorporating rules engines into medical care, resulting in positive clinical outcomes across various domains. We recommend the adoption of rules engines in healthcare centers, integrating them into daily workflows to deliver convenient, scalable, and effective clinical care. This review serves as a valuable resource for healthcare managers, providers, and patients, facilitating the achievement of more efficient and error-free healthcare environments.