Alborg asked what does SQL have that you want. For starters, stored procedures and triggers.
Let me explain, a trigger is a database level event that can fire automatically in response to a change in some specific data. Let me give you an example: Take the name history right now AC does not have the ability to store the former name of a patient. With a SQL Server database one could write an ON UPDATE trigger for a name change. The means any time the any of the name fields change the OLD name is AUTOMATICALLY written to the Name History table.
The first part, Stored Procedures are the bedrock of good SQL development. These are queries what are written and stored in the database that perform repeat tasks. Let's say that Bert wanted to integrate his FAP with AC, one of the things he would need is access to the patient record in AC. If AC had a stored procedure named
sp_Patient_SelectByName which required FirstName, MiddleName, LastName he could then get a list of all the patients with a first name 'George' to select the patient he wants. Because that query happens exclusively at the database level, it does not affect the AC program itself.
Lastly Charting and Graphing ARE NOT, repeat ARE NOT, an inherent function of the DATABASE engine. As a matter of fact take a look at
www.dundas.com or
www.componentart.com/charting/gallery/and you will see that companies are now developing charting engines that work with just about any DATA PROVIDER be it Access, SQL Server, Oracle, DB2 or other database.
