Home Forums Discussions General Discussion MS Word Charge Capture Utility

Just upgraded my MS Word Charge Capture Utility and put it up for download here: http://www.box.net/shared/static/21b9jqakgg.zip (contents are 1 template and 1 manual). Pretty cool simple template... you just put it on a thumb drive then plug said thumb drive into any hospital computer with MS Word and you can come out with neat worksheets to keep your charges organized!

The only problems you have to deal with are:

1) that the computer's MS Word security (Tools-> Macro-> Secutiry) might be set to "high", and this has to be set to "medium" or "low" so as to allow macros.
2) Also, you need to bring up the Tools-> Toolbars-> "Forms" toolbar which will allow you to lock the new document.
3) It's best to bring up the template by clicking on it while in Windows Explorer rather than while in MS Word, since this way the template automatically makes a new document of its image and contents (i.e. *.doc = Word document, *.dot = Word template).

I've been using the utility for the past 2 days and the only problem that I've had is on computers that lack a MS Access setup. The code behind this MS Word program is VBA using the MS Access ActiveX control.

What I need to do for those instances is to make a program that installs said ActiveX controls on these computers automatically.

This is a major upgrade to the prior 3 versions. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

I just upgraded it slightly:
* adding date-of-birth and room number fields
* as well as rearranging some of the fields.
* The manual has been updated.
* I put in an error check for the row builder function; if the needed admission date field is empty you'll be prompted to fill it in.

URL: http://www.box.net/shared/static/1pdpez2g4k.zip

One possible future update would be to link the name and date of birth fields as well as the diagnoses fields to backend AC tables.

Cheers...

Oh- just realized that due to a MS Word template bug, the template only seems to work in a MS Word 2003 environment. I'm in the process of working with Microsoft to see if this is a bug, and if so, I'll make a MS Word 2000 version, using the actual MS Word 2000 program if anyone is interested.

Found the fix! It's a MS Word "feature" (not a bug).( http://word.mvps.org/faqs/macrosvba/TurnFmFlfResetOff.htm )

I'll incorporate it into the next update...

This sounds interesting, Al. How would this feature interface with AC? Would this be a one-way interface, with your application drawing data from the AC tables, or could we also import information from your program into AC as well?

It would be a 2 way interface with the AC "demographics" table, allowing for update of the following fields- ChartID, First, Last, Birthdate. All you would have to do is to place the backend tables into the same folder on your thumbdrive to update the backend, s.a. to add in a new patient.

It would be up to Jon or Vinny to figure out how to import that new patient back into AC in your office.

Question: how is your numeric ChartID formatted? Is it simply a random number? If so, what is the variance (i.e. how many digits)? In my office, for example, I use the 4 digit year plus a 4 digit incrementing number. Once you give me that information I can have the MS Word "formfield" up and going in about an hour.

Having MS Word act like MS Access is especially useful, as most hospital computers have MS Word, but many don't have MS Access. In fact, in one of my hospitals, they have taken out MS Access 2003 and exchanged it for Infopath to work with XML documents. Don't ask me why...

The way you can make MS Word act like MS Access is illustrated in the MS Word EMR Project- a hobby that I first put together back in 2004 to show how the process works. Version 4, which I put out in 2006 can still be downloaded from here: http://www.box.net/shared/static/j0kmce8zzm.exe (it's free). The mirror table to the AC's "demographics" table in the MS Word EMR Project is the "patients" table located in the ZfileMDS_Scheduler backend container, of which the fields would be the ACCT, LNAME, FNAME, and DOB. I've been working on the update to the thing over the past year and made it complicated enough that I have had to put out numerous bug code fires, but it's almost completed. All I need is a weee bit of time...

Alternatively, you can download the manual to the upcoming V5, which has numerous pictures from here: http://www.box.net/shared/static/jil7j4w4go.doc

The "Arab" version, put out by an Egyptian programmer who borrowed my table structures can be downloaded from here: http://www.box.net/shared/static/llabd6ds88.pdf . I completely forgot about this guy until this one cardiologist in my building got one of his patients, replete with medical records done in Arabic. I'd love to see his interface!

The thing I like about AC is its simplicity and its continued use of the MS Access platform. I hope that it stays that way.

This is a preview of the new template with the AC tie-in:

http://www.box.net/shared/static/mipn9fj4ks.doc

Just working out the bugs...

Very interesting, Al.

It's a shame you're not a regular AC user! We're always working on workarounds and ways to augment the program, and I'm sure you would come up with all kinds of helpful suggestions if you were using it day-to-day.

I tried out your original charge capture program, and I will admit I found some bugs, but was too busy to contact you (sorry!). I will try out the new version and let you know how it goes!

BTW - I think that Jon is working on switching to SQL for AC's database, but I could be wrong about that.

Well, the MS Access program that I've been using since 1995 is remarkably similar. Most of the problems and workarounds are the same. If I hadn't programmed the thing I would be an AC user, that's for sure!

Switching to SQL requires a total rewrite and will increase prices a lot due to the requirement that one has to buy SQL licenses, and of course pay for the new capabilities. It's neat in that you can handle graphics better inside the program, though. I personally don't think that it's worth it for me. I like having a 1ess than 100MB back end.

Of course there are ways to get around the graphic limitations and avoid the inevitable bloat.

BTW, what were the bugs that you found? Are they any that I haven't fixed?

Okay, Al:

I tried out the charge capture utility. Two problems I had:

1. I tried navigating through it with tab keys and arrow keys, and whenever I would tab or arrow across the "Discharged?" box, the word DISCHARGED would pop up, and there was no way to get rid of it. Continued clicking would just make the word DISCHARGED pop up again and again, until it looked like DISCHARGEDDISCHARGEDDISCHARGED.

2. When I tabbed, arrowed, or clicked in the admission or discharge date fields, instead of the calendar to pick the date, it would often give me visual basic run-time error 5224 "This is not a valid selection". I was just typing in random made-up numbers in the top part of the field, so maybe that set it off.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing how this turns out!

Hi alborg,

Thanks for all your time putting up this information. I think I will try it out. A few thoughts:

1. I think if AC changed to SQL, it would use MySQL. Not sure.
2. I am completely baffled by your hospital. Do they actually allow you to use a thumbdrive on their PCs. Our hospital wouldn't let me get within 1,000 feet of a USB port with a thumbdrive. Hell, we can't even open notepad or Solitaire.
3. Still haven't looked at your program yet, but if you are hoping to allow others to use it (which is very nice of you :)),
then my suggestion would be to decrease the technical discussion of it. I know a bit about computers, but I hardly understood a word you said.

Hi Brian:

Problem #1 will be resolved when I disable the TAB on that template! Just press on the various sections for now.

Problem #2 has to do with your computer- you have a calendar control (inside your AC folder), but it's missing in another place where it normally resides. I'm in the process of getting an installation up and going that throws these ActiveX controls where they should reside if missing.

Hi Bert:

>>> I am completely baffled by your hospital. Do they actually allow you to use a thumbdrive on their PCs. Our hospital wouldn't let me get within 1,000 feet of a USB port with a thumbdrive. Hell, we can't even open notepad or Solitaire.

I simply keep it quiet. If I made a big deal about the USB port, they could possibly not like it and they will close it down for good. The nurses use MS Word and the USB ports for their charting and reporting purposes, so for now, it's there to amuse them, not me. I'm just a parasite.

The nodes from both of my hospitals are shut out from their respective host servers pretty well, and have ample antivirus and antimalware protection, so transmitting malware should not be an issue. Also the programmers have made a version of WinXP that is very limited and protected.

>>> then my suggestion would be to decrease the technical discussion of it. I know a bit about computers, but I hardly understood a word you said.

Gotta put that into my frontal lobes; this stuff is pretty much a hobby, and like an aficionado of fine wines talks the lingo, so do I without realizing it.

It'll be interesting to see where AC goes with SQL/MySQL. I would prefer the former mainly due to its simpler upgrade path, and of course there is always the free MS SQL Server 2005 Express Edition which shouldn't add anything in cost to the small office enduser's bottom line. Many think that MySQL is "free", but actually the price is pretty steep when you use it for commercial reasons.

BTW, where can I see your books?

Cheers,
Al

The new AC charge capture template is just about finished. The new look pictures can be found here in a 2 page MS Word document: http://www.box.net/shared/static/cpe9ipns4o.doc

Brian- TABBING IS BACK! I turned all of the template clickbuttons into either dropdown formfields or into toolbar items.

Looks cool, Al!

I think it has been proven that users can input with greater ease and rapidity if they are able to stick with one input device at a time.

Pure mouse input can be very rapid, where you are just click-click-clicking through menus, etc.

However, text entry is more rapid (once you learn the screen setup), when you type/tab/type/tab/type/tab.

Users experience a significant loss of efficiency when they have to mouse to an area, drop the mouse, place both hands on home keys, type, pickup the mouse, mouse to an area, etc. etc. etc.

BTW - You crank out some neat looking images. What program do you use for your screenshots and whatnot?

SnagIt 7.0... cost me about $30 3 years ago. The latest version, equally cheap, now does PDFs! It's an incredible software... now it's in version 8.2: http://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.asp?CMP=KgoogleStmhome. I couldn't live without it!

They also make the Camtasia Studio Screen Recording and Presentation program which is excellent but is 10 times more expensive (it handles video presentations).

LOL, this is a tough one. I don't know if you don't know that I'm joking or I don't know that you're joking. If any of that makes sense.

Geez- I was scouring Amazon.com for your books! I owe you one, Bert.

Al's taking me to school here. I didn't know we could post images on this forum (I assumed that feature was disabled).

Ok, ok, I gotta find a cool image to post to celebrate my new-found knowledge....



Ah! Here's a cute little cupcake to give Al a happy feeling. Enjoy!

Oh- I like the cupcake! Now for more pictures:


(The splash screen of the NEW Charge Capture Template Utility!)


(A completed charge capture note that used patient information from the Amazing Charts demographic table.)

Yup! It's finished! The executable download app can be found here- http://www.box.net/shared/static/tz8c8ik0sw.exe.

It seems to be flawless, but if you encounter any bugs or if I need to add any functionality, please let me know!

BTW, for those that are not technology challenged, check out the following template that I did over the past week for a Microsoft MVP who was stumped in how the Charge Capture Template worked. I made a very simple template that accesses state zipcodes in a MS Access table then displays it inside a MS Word UserForm: http://www.box.net/shared/static/wu2pcxt0kk.zip. He's now published it on his website. The file is called "States.zip". Both files need to be installed onto the "C:\" (root) folder for it to work.

In the brief Charge Capture template manual/software there are references to my new website-to-be, "http://alborgmd.org". It's not set up yet. The http://alborgmd.com location is still held by emrupdate.

Cheers,
Al

New address for the executable download-
http://www.box.net/shared/static/c7b0vfoysg.exe

Al

Downloaded today, Al. I'll check it out and get back to you.

Great!

This is the first program that sports the new Ghost installer (I used to use Installshield). This new program makes a great, clean installation... puts everything where it should be.

The only thing that is missing is the dll fix program that will install any missing MS Office dll files on those computers that don't have the full installation of MS Office.