Proof of Concept Study of EMBalance Decision Support System to Evaluate Balance Disorders

Balance is crucial for an individual's mobility and independence. Human balance is achieved and maintained by a complex set of sensorimotor systems that include sensory input from vision, proprioception and the vestibular system (motion, equilibrium, spatial orientation). This information is then integrated by the brain. This complexity leads to undiagnosed or mistreated patients with balance disorders for long period which can affect their daily activities. The EMBalance project is a research project funded by the European Union, involving 10 universities across Europe. Its aim is to create a Decision Support System (DSS) to support doctors in diagnosing and treating balance disorders. It will be available to primary and secondary care doctors of different specialties, levels of training and in different parts of the country. The DSS will: * Be used by primary and secondary health care professionals * Assist the doctor on the evaluation and management of dizzy patients * Predict how the balance disorder may progress * Reduce patient waiting time and the onward referrals * Ensure patients receive prompt and efficient treatment plans The EMBalance randomised clinical trial (RCT) is a proof-of-concept, multicentre, single-blind, and parallel group study, conducted in Belgium, Germany, Greece and United Kingdom. At present, the question that this study aims to answer is whether the algorithms developed for the EMBalance Platform will yield meaningful information and how these algorithms and platform can be improved, performing an offline comparison of the classical diagnostic approach and the outcome of the EMBalance platform, without any consequence for the patient. Patients who present with balance related symptoms at primary care will be randomised to either intervention group (non-specialist doctor +DSS) or control group (non-specialist doctor -DSS). An overseeing expert will then confirm the diagnosis and management decisions made by the non-specialist doctor