A C++ framework for developing Medical Logic Modules and an Arden Syntax compiler

Abstract

When developing a clinical decision support system that uses knowledge expressed in Arden Syntax, the availability of a robust means of translating Arden Syntax into an executable module becomes critical. This paper describes an approach where Arden Syntax is translated into an intermediate pseudo-Arden language that is in turn compiled and linked to create the executable module. The pseudo-Arden language is defined in C++ using specialized class libraries and preprocessor macros. This approach provides an alternative means of developing the code generator for an Arden Syntax compiler.