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Hi


I'm looking at this post after writing it and realise its quite long - I hope I've not confused anyone there are so many points of interest to note - I think I've touched on most of them.



Not quite sure how to kick off this comment - so I'm just going to dive straight in.

The following database is in alpha testing at the moment - making progress slowly.. This is most of what is included.- damn I ramble....


We've been working on a database for about 18 months now and it was developed from a programme I worked on over ten years ago in a previous life and not finding any software that I could afford and/or do what I wanted it to do!!!

I've been creating a database (in SQL) that utilises Ansur for its testing environment and "backhauls" the data from the Ansur result file into the assets data - so, you can do year on year result comparison and asset result 'creep/decay' assessment.

The Biomed's will have a copy of the entire database sitting on their laptops running in a MySQL environment - so can be used offline, the database will synchronise to the mothership database when connection established or at a predetermined time. Yup, an SQL licence will be needed. Also, any other files generated outside of Ansur (ie log files) can be attached to the results.

Adding a new assets to the database - you create a manufacturer then assign models to that manufacturer, then when you add a new asset you select from a drop down of Manufacturers then a drop down of their assets.(this is probably not a big deal - but I've worked with databases where each assets manufacturer and model has to be entered for each asset).

Biomed's will use a 'Technicians view" to do their work - this is what the Biomed needs and is a "three foot' interface - from this view Biomed's can select an asset, review its details, update its conditional analysis details, then go to the linked Ansur test file - do the test sequence in this file (only tried Ansur 3.XX so far), once finished Ansur, add any notes/add any parts used, then finally print test labels (label for on unit and label for mains lead).
N.B. Biomed's can access the service/user/PDF notes from Technicians view as well.

Biomed Managers will have 'Managers view' and be able to create/add new clients data, new Manufacturers and/or Models and its associated risk category and link Ansur test file and estimated time to test, review Biomeds work. Review clients assets, set testing schedule, get client billing information and more.

The following Client views will be available via web view.

Clients User View - will give an over view of their areas asset with status and compliance (in or out of test %), an individual assets details with access to that unit user manual, and the ability to report that asset of repair or whatever.
Client Manager View - will give an over view of the assets with statuses and compliances for the areas they are responsible for, or an individual area, drill down to an individual asset, report on a group of assets in their area (say patient beds, or syringe drivers)
Client Over view - Pretty much as per Client Manager View, plus Conditional Analysis data.

Clients - from a single asset to a one Doctor surgery to Government owned hospitals can be created - once a client is created, the asset can be allocated to any location within that clients organisation via a (think Microsoft File Explorer) Tree view.

Full spare parts list is available (with multiple stores locations - i.e. main store, secondary store, XXX Car, YYY Car etc - movement of parts between stores and updating stores list via excel spreadsheet import. Any parts used in a repair/maintenance can then be assigned to the asset.

Repairs - we use a fault code and repair code as well as a free text field to record works done on an asset, so searching for faults history can easily be done. These codes are grouped into categories for ease of breaking what will be hundreds of codes into easily found groups.

Service manuals/User Manuals/homemade notes/PDF/Text notes /pictures can be added to any model.

Recall and end of life - any recall for a make/model can be entered as either just that model or against a serial number range. End of Life, end of manufacture, end of parts and end of support can all be noted and applied to the data.

Biomedical managers can assign work to Biomed's via a calendar app - and Biomed's can look up to see whats scheduled.

Reports of what was done on each clients site and billing report that can output to PDF/excel or in to (xero at the moment) is starting to work (we are in pre Alpha on this bit!!!)

Conditional Analysis is also a big part of the drive in this database and will enable clients to ascertain the condition of their entire fleet of assets and prioritise replacements due to Age, condition, imminent end of service life, ECRI risk level, business risk level - you get the idea!!!!


Phil

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That looks like a nice "spec", Phil. It seems to tick all the boxes ... and (in my opinion) interfacing with Ansur is a big plus.

What you say about drop-down (combo-boxes?) is very valid. It is a big deal if you need to keep typing-in the same data over and over. When it comes to manufacturer's names, models and so forth, an elegant system allows data to be entered only once, and then available for repetitive insertion as you describe.

Not sure what you mean by "three foot' interface", Mate.

What about PM Scheduling? I presume your system takes care of that.

I notice that you mention "risk" ("ECRI risk level" ... what's that?). Do you follow the Risk-Based approach to PM?

Are you keeping it all in-house ... or do you plan to publish to the world?

Pity that it needs MySQL licencing, though.


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Forgive me if I mention that there may be a little ambiguity here...
Quote
I've been creating a database (in SQL)

Quote
running in a MySQL environment

EDIT
Or, are you developing in one and deploying in another, perhaps?



Originally Posted by Geoff Hannis
Pity that it needs MySQL licencing, though.
I don't believe it does.
SQL and MySQL are very different entitiies (and a great many MySQL users are moving towards MariaDB).

May I ask what coding language you are using Phil?
(Leading of course, to the reason for chosing SQL over other platforms.)

Last edited by Huw; 31/03/21 10:34 PM.
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Yes; I'm also a bit confused about the licencing situation ... and I'm not sure that even this makes it absolutely clear (as mud)!

Maybe Phil is indeed using SQL (on a server) and MySQL on stand-alone machines (and I'm sorry if I've added to the confusion); we'll leave it to Phil to clear that up.

However, perhaps I'm just a cynic (?), but it seems to me that (in almost all cases) the GNU General Public License (GPL) can be (mis)interpreted - often retrospectively - in ways other than that which a lay person might understand by such phrases as "free software", "open source" and what-have-you.

In short, it seems you only need to pay for a licence if "they" say so.

One wonders how "they" can enforce this? No upgrades? An "Easter egg" somewhere (hidden) in the code?

See GNU (Richard Stallman et al).

The great Richard Stallman was once quoted as saying:- "Free software is free as in free speech, not free as in free beer"!


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Hi

Alpha testing is still progressing.....

OK - a bit vague with licences - because Im not sure how its going to end up yet - we are just getting it working first. If we can get it all on MySQL then great, if we need a license for the 'mother ship' SQL licence - so be it.

Its being written in Access then will be converted into MySQL.

I must admit that database languages are not my thing, I just want the functionality in the end - my developer (who I worked with for many years) uses Access to develop the 'code' then it can be converted to MySQL.
I'm sure there are many options.
I also have an aim (completely blue sky thinking here) to use NFT or blockchain in the end for data transferal between databases BUT we need to crawl before we can walk let alone run.
And, before you can use blockchain or NFT you need to collect and have on hand the data you want to transfer.


Our aim is to create a Biomedical/Clinical Equipment CMMS using Ansur for the testing (I guess another license will be needed for Ansur).

Muddying the waters is my speciality...


Phil

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HI Geoff

Thanks for your comments.

A 'Three foot interface" means that the technician can have the laptop open in their testing environment and see from distance of three foot or greater what they are doing. When you get in to a detail then you will need to get closer etc. i.e. at this point (in Technicians view) its a test tool and therefore ought to be able to be read and used easily - just an uncomplicated screen with easy to read graphics/script.

PM Scheduling - yup its in there, plus ability to use risk factor to have elastic time frames - so low risk items can be extended and high risk will be kept to strict retest schedule.

ECRI risk - used in the conditional analysis formulae - an agreed upon international risk categorisation look up table.

If its good enough - I will try and see what others think of it...

As for licensing, especially if I see what 'others think of it' licenses will need to be considered....


Phil

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Aha! It's interesting how things can be misunderstood - "Chinese Whispers"? I had imagined the Technicians' View to be a form with three tabs!

Yes; functionality above all else ... get it working the way you want before worrying too much about cosmetics.

But if you end up having to fork out for (annual?) licensing, then maybe you could find that simply using AIMS could get you up to speed just as cheaply. I don't know what features AIMS offers, but I believe it can interface with Ansur (as well as certain other "test templates"). Also UMDNS.

On the other hand, I expect you're like me, and want to retain as much control as possible (which really means "doing it yourself")!

Does the WAND system still hold sway in NZ? Didn't (doesn't) it use GMDN codes?

How about Ansur? Is is a one-off purchase for each site, or yet another annual outlay?

Lastly, I don't want to cause alarm, but you may need to be careful with the "hooks" your developer includes to work with Ansur. As we have seen recently on another thread, it seems that Fluke is "evolving" Ansur. That's the trouble with relying on proprietary stuff (that is, someone else's) - you can sometimes be left high and dry a few years down the road. I guess what I'm driving at there is that it would be nice if you could develop your own "Ansur". From what I've seen of it, it could probably do with a complete re-write (and maybe that's what OneQA is).

PS: I thought that Blockchain and (or) NFT was to do with cryptocurrency!


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Hi Geoff

I agree - dont want to be forking out annually - but I want it to work and work well - sometimes you have to pay money to get a smooth functionality or you can pay in frustration and time.
I've had little experience with AIMS - also it does not offer conditional analysis/billing/interfacing with ANSUR - I figured best just to start over....you know reinventing the wheel, but this time make it round and steerable....!!!!

ANSUR is a one of purchase (I think) Yup one day in the near future make an alternative is part of my 'vision' but thats in the futire for now.

Blockchain and NFT are the underlying architecture that enable bit coins to work - its a non fungible peer to peer database in essence. SO, ideal for sharing data across the peers and also for disaster recovery - think Christchurch earth quake, its almost an over kill for what we need - but i believe its the way of the future.


P.

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Interesting stuff.

I've had zero experience with AIMS, myself (or any of the other contemporary biomed CMMS for that matter).

For me (and I know that many folk on here disagree) - "home-grown" is always best!

As you must already be aware, developing and maintaining tech support database software isn't something that can be done quickly and easily. If you're not careful it can become a real "labour of love". But whatever you do (and whatever the future holds) you must retain control of your source code.

And on the subject of security of (and reliability of access to) databases ... my advice is to avoid using any network that you don't control (so that includes the "Cloud", the internet in general, and - I'm guessing - the hospital intranet as well). When it comes to sharing data between team members (different laptops, and so forth), I advocate using USB memory sticks carrying sub-sets of the main database(s) - that is, only the data that the tech actually needs* that day (that trip, and so forth)!

Lastly, are you wedded to Fluke (test kit, Ansur)? Have you looked at Datrend (test kit, vPad)?

* I noticed that you said earlier that biomeds will have a copy of the entire database sitting on their laptops - but also that they could be working offline.


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HI Geoff

Home grown - gets you what you want..I have gone over the top BUT these things I have mentioned are what I need to give me a killer database and to work to ASNZs3551 and keep my customers fully compliant with legislation. There are some Biomedical testing institutions that still don't understand the whole ethos of what Biomedical testing is, and the customers and their auditors - understand even less.
Hang on a moment while I get off my high horse.
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Tech support is a concern - but to start with its going to be just for us, and if we do get to "sell" this product then we will work out technical support then - it something in the back of my mind.
Yup, the source code is ours.

Security - again, its something to consider a little bit further on - everything is pass word protected at the moment.

Am not wedded to Fluke - but its what I use - hence ANSUR. But, in this database you link the Make/model combination to a test file (or two) and that is what is called when you press the test button. So, that file can be anything - MS Word/Excel or any other program - but we have not investigated how to get that data back into the database for year on year comparison.
Another benefit of what we do, is that we don't need to save Ansur test files (.mtt?) as the data is stored in the database and can be rebuilt into a test file (.mtt?) at a later point if needed.

Yup, am keeping the entire database replicated on biomeds laptop - I realise the could prove to be problematic. But, does enable the Biomeds to work fully offline and have all the service and user manuals to hand.
Remember, this is still the initial version - things may change.

P.

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