Table 1.

Computer-interpretable guideline formalisms comparison.

Detail	Arden syntax	GLIFa	PROforma	Asbru	Eon
Model	Medical logic module	Object-oriented flowchart structured in steps	PROforma task ontology	Plan	Dharma guideline model
Model elements	Maintenance, knowledge, library, resources	Branch, decision, action, patient state steps	Plans, decisions, actions, inquiries	Preferences, intentions, conditions, effects	Scenarios, decisions, actions, activities
Language	- MLMsb are text based (each MLM is encoded as an ASCIIc file)	- UMLd class diagrams in GLIF3 XML-based syntax - RDFe language	- Guidelines are translated into language called LR2L - Contains a formal expression language	- DTDf in Backus-Naur form - Control-flow language are defined by means of XML	RDF

^aGLIF: Guideline Interchange Format.

^bMLM: medical logic module.

^cASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

^dUML: Unified Modeling Language.

^eRDF: Resource Description Framework.

^fDTD: document type definition.