Title
Research Paper: Using Empiric Semantic Correlation to Interpret Temporal Assertions in Clinical Texts
Abstract
Objective: To measure the uncertainty of temporal assertions like "3 weeks ago" in clinical texts Design: Temporal assertions extracted from narrative clinical reports were compared to facts extracted from a structured clinical database for the same patients. Measurements: The authors correlated the assertions and the facts to determine the dependence of the uncertainty of the assertions on the semantic and lexical properties of the assertions. Results: The observed deviation between the stated duration and actual duration averaged about 20% of the stated deviation. Linear regression revealed that assertions about events further in the past tend to be more uncertain, smaller numeric values tend to be more uncertain (1 mo v. 30 d), and round numbers tend to be more uncertain (10 versus 11 yrs). Conclusions: The authors empirically derived semantics behind statements of duration using "ago," and verified intuitions about how numbers are used.
Year
DOI
Venue
2009
10.1197/jamia.M3007
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association
Keywords
DocType
Volume
linear regression
Journal
16
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
2
1067-5027
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
George Hripcsak11493160.86
Noemie Elhadad2113169.59
Yueh-Hsia Chen3131.66
Li Zhou410414.65
Frances P. Morrison5414.71