Computer-aided risk management--a software tool for the Hidep model.

OBJECTIVE: The Hidep risk management model has been developed and tested in clinical settings with promising results, but a tool facilitating the work has been suggested. The aim of the present study was to create and evaluate a computerized tool capable of creating overviews of the oral health situation as well as identifying risk factors and at-risk patients. The system developed should also facilitate the clinical work, for example, by assisting the user with automatic calculation of suitable Hidep groups and selection and printing of relevant patient information letters.

METHOD AND MATERIALS: The system developed was based on the Hidep model, combining a number of available examination methods, risk estimation systems, and treatment suggestions. The development strategy included stepwise improvements and functionality increase based on continuous clinical applicability tests in a large international test bed.

RESULTS: The results indicated that the software created was user friendly enough to be used in a common dental clinic and capable of handling the basic data of both patients and their oral health situation. The system could present useful statistics and graphs describing the overall oral health situation and identifying relevant risk groups and risk factors, based on virtually unlimited parameter combinations.

CONCLUSION: The computer system developed seems to be an important step toward the possibility of creating a close-to-the-clinic model for oral health care management based on actual and locally derived patient data and risk factors. The results of this project encourage further studies of the Hidep model and its computer support.