Medical protocols are normative descriptions of patient care.
At present, most protocols are developed through committees of experts, and distributed in text-based formats. We believe that, as hospital information systems become computerized, it will be advantageous to have computer-readable representations of these protocols. I've expanded the way in which information processing theory handles exceptions to fit the nature of service organizations, like those that deliver medical care. Organization Theory One problem with customizing medical protocols for a particular site is that there is no principled method to predict how that customization might affect the efficiency of the protocol. Using principles found in organization theory to assist in protocol design and implementation, allows us to predict organizational performance and approach the customization process in a principled way.