Towards a framework for standardized semantic workflow modeling and management in the surgical domain

Abstract

An essential aspect for workflow management support in operating room environments is the description and visualization of the underlying processes and activities in a machine readable format as Surgical Process Models (SPM). However, the process models often vary in terms of granularity, naming and representation of process elements and their modeling structure. The aim of this paper is to present a new methodology for standardized semantic workflow modeling and a framework for semantic work-flow execution and management in the surgical domain.