EBME Forums Forums Management Professional Issues Equipment Library Database

Geoff, I think TM may be just a bit complex for what we are after. Thanks for mentioning it though (and showing an interest in our Library). In regards to your questions:
1. Normally just 5 used, but sometimes if it is a loan item it could be up to 9. Just to complicate matters, we are going on to a new equipment database (RAM) and that generates inv numbers with 8 characters.
2. A maximum of 6.
3. A maximum of 15.
4. date in/out recorded as 08/02/2013 etc.
5. Not needed.

No signature or equipment status needed.
Reports are based on equipment usage by Ward for budgetary purposes normally over a 3 month period.
For audit purposes sometimes we have to search for the use of either a device or via a patient 'D' number over a certain time period.
It is definitely DOS based.

Sounds pretty simple to me, Mike.

But ... no error trapping (checking for a valid Eqpt No, for example)? And surely you wouldn't want to be (mistakenly, perhaps) tapping in a fifteen character location name each time (that is, better to relate to another - accurate - table)?

There would have to be at least some basic error trapping (eg, making sure that dates are valid, and Date_out cannot be before Date_in ... and stuff like that).

Would you want it in DOS or Windows?

My guess is that other hospitals must already have their own "home-grown" systems that more or less exactly meet your requirements, Mike. Either that or this could be a nice little project for an aspiring database programmer. Otherwise, how long have I got?

And lastly, about your existing system:- is it based on a single .exe file? Any clues regarding the database files ... are they .dbf, or what?

Yes, there is error trapping. You can only enter an equipment number and location for something that had previously been entered into the system. Dates for example can only be entered one way. We can, and do, enter the same date for in/out if that is what happened to a piece of kit. Some infusion device patient episodes are only a few hours long. Kit out and back in one day.

As I previously mentioned, the complexity arises because of its link to PAS. From here we get all the patient details that are needed, name, DOB, (even their address) etc. Not needed by EBME staff of course.

Not sure about the file format Geoff. It's not .exe or .dbf though. May have to speak to our IT Dep't on that one.

My concern is that because of issues that are totally out of our control, we may soon be 'moving backwards' when we have had a pretty good system in use for the past 12 years. Onwards and upwards eh!

No doubt I shall be preaching to the converted if I mention that I've always admired the maxim "if it ain't broken, don't fix it", Mike.

Yes, I see what you're saying about dates. Same day is OK, but yesterday (or beyond) is not OK, if you see what I'm saying. Normal drills there, then.

That's also why I would log the time as well (and both today's date and the current time is always available on the computer, of course ... and I would default to those).

And ... are all library equipment items loaded into the database at the onset, then? And (assuming that to be the case), how do you plan to migrate them across (how many are there, just in case you choose to re-enter them all by hand, as it were)? The same with Locations. I would use look-up tables related to the primary database.

But about that link to PAS ... can you not simply break it?

Meanwhile, I stand (sit) ready to assist in any way I can ... be it only teasing out the spec!

But I would be interested in those file types (extensions), though.

Your last point is well taken, Mike. That is why I always advocate steering well clear of the fly-by-nights in IT, and (where ever possible) developing your own "home grown" system(s). That way you retain full control, and can make whatever tweaks and changes become needed farther down the road. And yet ... I noticed that you mentioned that you're splashing out for another "commercial" system (and have already mentioned at least one of its limitations)!