Cost-Effective Machine Learning Based Clinical Pre-Test Probability Strategy for DVT Diagnosis in Neurological Intensive Care Unit.

In order to overcome the shortage of the current costly DVT diagnosis and reduce the waste of valuable healthcare resources, we proposed a new diagnostic approach based on machine learning pre-test prediction models using EHRs. We examined the sociodemographic and clinical factors in the prediction of DVT with 518 NICU admitted patients, including 189 patients who eventually developed DVT. We used cross-validation on the training data to determine the optimal parameters, and finally, the applied ROC analysis is adopted to evaluate the predictive strength of each model. Two models (GLM and SVM) with the strongest ROC were selected for DVT prediction, based on which, we optimized the current intervention and diagnostic process of DVT and examined the performance of the proposed approach through simulations. The use of machine learning based pre-test prediction models can simplify and improve the intervention and diagnostic process of patients in NICU with suspected DVT, and reduce the valuable healthcare resource occupation/usage and medical costs.