I tried a flowsheet in excell for a while that is housed in the imported section. I have experienced a lot of bugs with the imported section, especially when working in the flowsheet.

We are simply developing a program that is completely separate to AC to track in house labs, wellness, etc. Does anyone have any experience doing this?

Input would be appreciated. thanks

Vicki,

I always say this, but I would love to collaborate with you and help. But, I am confused.

You say you are already developing a program to do this. It may be helpful to tell us more about that program or what you are trying to accomplish.

I have one I use. I am not sure how to send it to you. On the first page I have the metrics that "Lumetra" uses when they audit Medicare charts in Calif. I don't use most of the stuff but that format looked like a good start and should make it easy for an auditor. On the second page I have a coumadin flow sheet with an extremely elementary math table which totals the weekly dose and calculates the daily average for you. I use the flow sheet (page 1) for both Diabetics and complicated lipid cases. I list the results and have the meds tallied under the results so I can see at a glance what has already been tried.
The blank sheet resides on our server in the AC imported items folder. The server does NOT have excell on it. To use it I click on "Imported Items", Import New, From File and then locate it on the server. Then I am queried do I want to use the default to open it. (Of course Excell must be on your computer work station.) After I label both pages and use whatever part of it I want to use, I close it and AC wants to know if I want to save it. Answer "yes" and that discrete copy, now labelled with some long label made up by AC is stored in AC and your original, (blank) is undamaged.
One problem for me is that if I go on as a remote host, since I am on the server, I cannot open the flow sheets. Nor can they be opened on one of the three 'thin clients' that we operate. From home (or anywhere remote ) I can connect to my desk if it has been left on, and then I can open it remote.

Hi Martin,

You should be able to download and install Excel viewers free and use on server and your thin clinets.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/CD011347961033.aspx

You say you can connect remotely to your desktop. I am confused as to why you don't always do that so you can use your Excel without any problem.

Why do you have to label the pages after you import it? Shouldn't they already be labeled on the default one on the server?

Finally, you could send it via email. I am pretty sure Vicki has an email address if I recall correctly.

Looking forward to your answers.

Martin,

Would you be willing to post a copy in Tips and Tricks? I'm still using paper flowsheets but I'd like to get away from the paper and would like to see some examples for Excel.

Kathleen

Speaking of flowsheets... is anyone actually using the "tracked data" section on the summary page for this sort of thing? I tried using it in the very beginning for things like A1C's and lipid profiles. Very cumbersome, seems to me. We *thought* about using an Excel spreadsheet but didn't get much farther than that.

Our work-around health maintenance flowsheet solution so far is simply a few templates in the Assessment window named PrevMale / PrevFemale, for a couple of different age ranges and a diabetic version for each. When the patient is seen the first time, template gets dropped in at the end of the problem list and filled out to the extent that the data is available. The information carries forward on subsequent notes each time the patient is seen, and is (ideally) updated as things change. We just have to be careful not to accidentally delete it as each new note is crafted, which is a pain given how the problem list populates in the Asessment window. The female over 50 non-diabetic one, once filled in, might look something like this:

HEALTH MAINTENANCE:
Lipids - acceptable, 5/2008
Mammo - NL, 12/07
Pap - n/a, s/p hysterectomy (fibroids)
Colorectal - stool cards NL 2007
Pneumovax - 2005
Tetanus - 2003

It's nowhere close to being perfect but it works for now. Obviously, a preventive maintenance flowsheet with its own home within AC is needed.

Jim
Family Doc in New Orleans
AC user for a whole 4 months now!

Jim,

Interesting approach. It seems like a good idea. I agree that one incorporated into AC is much needed. It sounds as though Jon was going in that direction, but users talked him out of it. I guess we won't know at least for now.

The tracked data is not useful.

I still don't know why more people don't use Excel. It's easy to set up, it's very powerful and is simply imported into the Imported Items section. But, it's not for everyone I suppose.

HTH

Jim,

Before Bert talked me into using an Excel sheet I developed a template in the PMH called "Interventions". Under that heading I tracked mammograms, colonoscopies,vaccinations, eye exams, etc. as well as anything else a particular patient needed tracking, such as follow-up scans for AAA. I still use this and update it as needed and find it to be extrememly useful because it is there on every note, right in front of me, with little chance of being deleted. But now I also use an Excel sheet to track labs and diabetic quality of care issues. I also have another Excel sheet (page 2) for charting all in-house labs such as urines, chemsticks, etc. This has been a great help other than the fact it means changing screens and waiting for the Excel page to load (which is slow). I tried using the "Tracked data" feature in AC and hated it.

Leslie

Leslie,

I hope you are making the tabs all sorts of cool colors.

Bert,

As a matter of fact I have!! Excel is such a neat program and I knew absolutely nothing about it until your recommendations encouraged me to get in and play with it. I am sure I have not yet mastered all its secrets but I learn something new almost every week. I now also use it to track the medications I dispense in house as well as my grocery shopping list...now that's cool

Leslie

Leslie,

Do I understand correctly that you insert Excel spreadsheets into AC? How do you do it? Would you mind sharing your spreadsheets with us? I think this funstion is available with "Tracked Data" but I haven't figured it out yet.

Bruce.

Bruce, I don't know how to make flowsheets, but I believe you simply have to import your excel sheet. The imported items window seems to be an IE browser pane, if you have the Active X plugin to allow IE to view the file, it seems you can show and edit your MS Office and OO.o files.

There are MANY threads pertaining to the Excel face sheet/spreadsheet. The link below is just one of them. It goes into detail there.

http://tinyurl.com/6apehj

Bruce,

Items imported into Imports can always be opened in its native format. If you go to the link above, be sure to scroll to the top for the initial post.

Also, no one ever took me up on my wine offer.

Bruce,

I made an Excel sheet which I keep on the server. Then each computer station has a shortcut on the desktop to that file (because it is easier for the staff to find it and it means they do not have to risk going to the server and perhaps messing things up). Into every chart then, this plain Excel sheet is imported, under the lab heading, and it can be added to and saved within AC. Every morning, my staff goes through the list of patients with appointments that day to see if they have had any new labs or tracked studies done and they update the flowsheet. If I am seeing a diabetic, I will at the time of the appointment check off on that sheet what quality of care points I have performed. I will forward you my file Monday when I get back to the office.

Leslie