A system and method are provided for executing an executable clinical practice guideline for providing guidance in treating a patient. A guideline repository stores a plurality of executable clinical practice guidelines. At least one interface receives clinical context data associated with at least one of the patient and the patient's treatment. A system server, upon receipt of said clinical context data, automatically chooses an appropriate guideline and controls a display to display the guideline at its present level of abstraction, and a visual navigator which defines the current level of abstraction. The level of abstraction is changed via a user input between a higher level of abstraction in which fewer more abstract steps of the guidelines are displayed and a lower level of abstraction in which more, detailed steps are displayed.