Data explorer: a prototype expert system for statistical analysis.

The inadequate analysis of medical research data, due mainly to the unavailability of local statistical expertise, seriously jeopardizes the quality of new medical knowledge. Data Explorer is a prototype Expert System that builds on the versatility and power of existing statistical software, to provide automatic analyses and interpretation of medical data. The system draws much of its power by using belief network methods in place of more traditional, but difficult to automate, classical multivariate statistical techniques. Data Explorer identifies statistically significant relationships among variables, and using power-size analysis, belief network inference/learning and various explanatory techniques helps the user understand the importance of the findings. Finally the system can be used as a tool for the automatic development of predictive/diagnostic models from patient databases.