There is intense interest in adopting computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems, particularly those developed based on deep learning algorithms, for applications in a number of medical specialties. However, success of these CAD systems relies heavily on large annotated datasets; otherwise, deep learning often results in algorithms that perform poorly and lack generalizability. Therefore, this dissertation seeks to address this critical problem: How to develop efficient and effective deep learning algorithms for medical applications where large annotated datasets are unavailable. In doing so, we have outlined three specific aims: (1) acquiring necessary annotations efficiently from human experts; (2) utilizing existing annotations effectively from advanced architecture; and (3) extracting generic knowledge directly from unannotated images. Our extensive experiments indicate that, with a small part of the dataset annotated, the developed deep learning methods can match, or even outperform those that require annotating the entire dataset. The last part of this dissertation presents the importance and application of imaging in healthcare, elaborating on how the developed techniques can impact several key facets of the CAD system for detecting pulmonary embolism. Further research is necessary to determine the feasibility of applying these advanced deep learning technologies in clinical practice, particularly when annotation is limited. Progress in this area has the potential to enable deep learning algorithms to generalize to real clinical data and eventually allow CAD systems to be employed in clinical medicine at the point of care.

The analysis of clinical workflow offers many challenges to clinical stakeholders and researchers, especially in environments characterized by dynamic and concurrent processes. Workflow analysis in such environments is essential for monitoring performance and finding bottlenecks and sources of error. Clinical workflow analysis has been enhanced with the inclusion of modern technologies. One such intervention is automated location tracking which is a system that detects the movement of clinicians and equipment. Utilizing the data produced from automated location tracking technologies can lead to the development of novel workflow analytics that can be used to complement more traditional approaches such as ethnography and grounded-theory based qualitative methods. The goals of this research are to: (i) develop a series of analytic techniques to derive deeper workflow-related insight in an emergency department setting, (ii) overlay data from disparate sources (quantitative and qualitative) to develop strategies that facilitate workflow redesign, and (iii) incorporate visual analytics methods to improve the targeted visual feedback received by providers based on the findings. The overarching purpose is to create a framework to demonstrate the utility of automated location tracking data used in conjunction with clinical data like EHR logs and its vital role in the future of clinical workflow analysis/analytics. This document is categorized based on two primary aims of the research. The first aim deals with the use of automated location tracking data to develop a novel methodological/exploratory framework for clinical workflow. The second aim is to overlay the quantitative data generated from the previous aim on data from qualitative observation and shadowing studies (mixed methods) to develop a deeper view of clinical workflow that can be used to facilitate workflow redesign. The final sections of the document speculate on the direction of this work where the potential of this research in the creation of fully integrated clinical environments i.e. environments with state-of-the-art location tracking and other data collection mechanisms, is discussed. The main purpose of this research is to demonstrate ways by which clinical processes can be continuously monitored allowing for proactive adaptations in the face of technological and process changes to minimize any negative impact on the quality of patient care and provider satisfaction.