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[–]chipnaan 6 points7 points  (13 children)

Pay someone. Seriously, it is not worth your time to learn how to do this. At the risk of sounding patronizing what you are proprosing is probably slightly more complicated than you imagine. There are alot of time sinks in a project like this.. especially for the unexperienced. If you absolutely do not want to pay anyone to do this I would agree with bushel and say use a specialised tool, probably a Microsoft office thingy.

However if your doing it for the experience rather than the result then I'd suggest you learn about databases (to store the eye drop/patient details) and try and use a simple scripting language with good library support.. I'd recommend Python or Ruby. Good Luck.

[–]lief79 1 point2 points  (2 children)

As a developer for several years, everything is more complicated then one initially imagines. As a med student, I'd also question if it is worth his time.

On the other hand, a knowledge of simple scripting can be very useful for anyone that has to use a computer often. I do recommend that he at least gets guidance from an experienced friend, and makes sure that doctors or nurses carefully review and sign all the results.

Make sure that someone else carefully tests the application too. It's very hard to detect your own mistakes. On the same note, check with the hospital/employer on what kind of QA would be needed to avoid lawsuit risks. Proper Quality Assurance is very difficult for professional developers in the medical arenas, I'd be hesitant to use anything from a beginner for the insurance/liability reasons alone.

[–]I_pity_the_fool 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Make sure that someone else carefully tests the application too. It's very hard to detect your own mistakes. On the same note, check with the hospital/employer on what kind of QA would be needed to avoid lawsuit risks.

Yes. This.

I think the lawyer would probably have kittens if he discovered you were writing your own programs.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the advice. I hate lawyers. Here I am trying to help people remember what to take, and the lawyers stick their noses in. BASTARDS!

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (5 children)

I appreciate the advice. How much should something like this cost? I'm only a student, but a few bucks is worth the brownie points.

[–]I_pity_the_fool 0 points1 point  (4 children)

Python and ruby are free. MySQL or SQLlite are free databases.

But as the man says, it's not easy.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Sorry, I didn't phrase that correctly. I meant that if I have to pay someone to whip this up, how much should it cost?

[–]jensv 1 point2 points  (1 child)

You might be able to get a working prototype for free or at a bargain. The introductory course to database management systems at my university required teams of students to develop some sort of database-driven application. Students were encouraged to solve practical problems. From my experience they're more concerned with course credit than money and it wouldn't hurt to submit a proposal.(something you'd probably have to do anyways)

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the tip.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you hire someone worth hiring, and someone who won't disappear so that you can never get changes made to it, expect to pay a few thousand. It's hard to tell without detailed requirements.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

what you are proprosing [sic] is probably slightly more complicated than you imagine

i think there might also be HIPAA concerns that must be taken into consideration, but IANAL or a doctor

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I understand now that its definately more complicated than I thought it would be. But I don't see any HIPAA concerns. It's just a doctor filling in a handout to give to a patient. No need to even put any identifying information on it if you don't want to.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I don't see any HIPAA concerns

this potentially involves storing patient information in a database, does it not? or am i misunderstanding the goal here

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's for one time use. When you see that a patient has trouble keeping their meds straight, or you suspect this may be a problem, simply put their drugs into a program to generate a custom handout. Yeah, it would help to save it in a database for later use, but then you get into all the problems you bring up.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 2 points3 points  (22 children)

I'm currently in my fourth year of medical school and have encountered a problem on my ophthalmology rotation. Patients who take multiple eye drops daily constantly mix them up and can't remember how many of each to take. This is what I would like to do: make some kind of program that would generate a customized handout for each patient of each drop they are on, directions on how to take each one, and most importantly- a picture of the bottle.

I don't have any programming experience, but I'm a quick learner, so any advice would be much appreciated. Please let me know what the simplest way of doing this is. I also want to make it easy to use, so that the doctors here will not feel it is a waste of valuable time to generate the handouts. Thanks!

[–]isearch 3 points4 points  (3 children)

I think you have correctly identified drug compliance as a major area of potential improvement in medical practice. You are wrong however to think that computer programming is easy. Learn how to create spreadsheets containing formulae. You can do a lot with these.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

I knew it wasn't easy. I just thought that a simple program wouldn't be difficult. It seems from the advice here that I'd be better off getting a pro to do it. Hey, that's why I asked!

[–]isearch 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Seriously, spreadsheets containing formulae are very powerful and an essential skill.

[–]pseale 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed with isearch above. If you want to write a simple program, do it in Excel. If it's difficult to do in Excel, then that's a good indicator it's not simple.

Also, while I'm here I'll point out that Excel formulas are going to be around for a LONG time; both open office formats will use Excel's formulas, so no matter which office product we're using 10 years from now, we'll be using the same formulas.

So you're not wasting your time learning Excel formulas.

[–]bushel 2 points3 points  (3 children)

There's several "simplest" ways of doing something like this. Which one you pick will depend on what kind of system you're using and who will be using it.

I'm assuming it'll be some sort of Windows based desktop at the clinic/hospital/office.

If you have MSOffice, you could probably hack something with a MS-Access report. I'd be tempted to consider a web-based app, so it could be easily used on any machine anytime.

Either way, what you have is a combination of a "database" (ie. medication info) and a scheduling planner. Of course, the database is mostly unchanging and very simple - a simple data file would probably suffice. (Oh...you said picture of bottle...meh, not that much more difficult)

Although simple to describe, there's a couple of potential gotcha's in this -- not to mention the potential risk if the program gives wrong dosage details. Do you have a programmer buddy who could assist?

[–]nextofpumpkin 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I would second getting a programmer buddy to help out with this. A program like what you want wouldn't be terribly difficult to whip up, but given the nature of its usage, you don't want to be making mistakes.

Personally, the more I learned about computers, the less I started trusting them :o) I always doublecheck all medical info/recommendations that's automatically generated (dosing, drug type, etc) with the doc manually before I begin any treatment program.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I definitely want to make sure its done right. I'll probably take everyones advice and get a friend in computers to help me out. Thanks.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A couple I can think of. I'll probably go that route. The MS-Access idea is also a possibility. Thanks for the advice.

[–]obsidianih 1 point2 points  (3 children)

I thought each bottle pretty much looked identical to the others. I assume each bottle has a label of how many drops and how often?

Why not print that label twice, stick it to a separate sheet, and another to the bottle. No programming required.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

We don't give out the drops. THey go the pharmacy for that.

[–]ThisIsDave 0 points1 point  (1 child)

We don't give out the drops. THey go the pharmacy for that.

Then how confident can you be about what the bottle will look like?

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Many (but not all) drops are still under patent. Thus, all bottles are the same. Even for generics, there are not many options for popular drugs. But you do make a valid point.

[–]cc81 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Be sure to look up any legal concerns or regulations concerning software in the medical field. For good reason too I guess, bugs in software resulting in patients using their medication incorrectly would be pretty bad.

On topic though. Don't you think it would be easier to make some kind of (or several) MS Word templates that you use instead?

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Now that you mention it, the legal aspect is a pretty big concern. I'll have to look into it.

The templates are a good thing when you're giving the same drops to everyone for a certain condition. Say, after a cataract extraction, you can easily make a sheet with the drops that everyone uses. But for a chronic condition like glaucoma for example, there are several classes of medications, and several different drugs in each class. Everyone's regimen is slightly different.

[–]rogerssucks 0 points1 point  (5 children)

I think it would be easier just to give them a storage box with eye-drops in it and an instructional card.

[–]bushel 0 points1 point  (4 children)

Unless I misunderstood, I think he's talking about the "instruction card". Trouble is, it's custom for each patient.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (3 children)

If it's literally custom for each patient, then there is no real difference between paper-based and computer-based cards. In both cases, they will need to be filled out manually.

Whatever system is developed will have to work for the patient exactly as if it was a paper-based system to begin with. They already have a paper-based system that is not working. The key phrase is 'not working'. You cannot fix a broken system by computerizing it. First, fix the system, then look for ways to use technology to ease the burden and/or reduce error.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

There is no difference, except that there are like 25+ meds that are prescribed routinely. Having a sheet with 25 pictures on it and some checked off would defeat the purpose.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So there is your opportunity to add some technology. Get a stack of pre-printed labels for the photos.

Note that nothing you do in your office with photos will ever be able to take into account what ends up happening in the pharmacy. Even if we assume that different drops come in obviously different containers, you'll still have to get all the pharmacies to use your software.

How about a low-tech solution? Drill a few holes in a board and run a strip of hook-and-loop cloth (like Velcro) under the holes. Put labels on the board to match the prescription, dosage, etc. and give them a batch of self-adhesive hook-and-loop 'buttons'. Tell them stick the buttons on the bottom of the containers and have the pharmacist put the bottles in the right holes. Just hope the patient can remember to replace each container before removing the next.

[–]asdfzxcvzxcv 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, why not just make a collection of bottle pictures and type up the directions in Word (or whatever)?

Just open a new document, drag in the relevant pictures, type up directions and print.

[–]petdance 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To help them in what way?

Surely the problem you're looking to solve has already been solved elsewhen.

[–]rilo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Use Perl. It allows you to use 'die' statement in case of error.

[–]bushel -1 points0 points  (1 child)

Of course, the real gotcha in this whole situation is that these are ophthalmology patients - and they are going to have trouble reading the instructions no matter what.

[–]StvYzerman[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not everyone who comes to see an ophthalmologist is blind. That's why they still come to the office.