Fuzzy sets and the modelling of physician decision processes,part I: The initial interview-information gathering session

Most mathematical models of physician decision processes offered to date, especially those relative to diagnosis and patient treatment, suffer from the inability to incorporate all useful data on the patient. Pertinent information so neglected or poorly modelled relate to variables that are intrinsically fuzzy but which describe the patient's health status. We present mathematical models based on fuzzy set theory for physician aided evaluation of a complete representation of information emanating from the initial interview including patient past history, present symptoms, signs observed upon physical examination, and results of clinical and diagnostic tests.