Reducing the number of steps to accomplish one task!
We have now been using OpenVPMS for a couple of months and as a clinic are finding there are alot of steps that require skipping or are long winded to achieve what used to be a simple task in Vetware is now very longwinded in Open.
ie. Adding microchips manually (this was automated in Vetware when you billed it out)
Removal of the desexing reminder when a desexing is billed out (again this was automatic in vetware and now is another manual job)
These are just a few examples.
Thanks for your time.
Pound Road Veterinary
Re: Reducing the number of steps to accomplish one task!
Hi,
I think these are all valid points.
Prompting for a microchip number and adding to identities is a well overdue enhancement. If there is enough support for it in the community then we can put up a development project and hopefully get it funded soon. :-)
Removal of the desexing reminder should be a easy one to fix. What we need is the ability to set a 0 reminder period and for the system to recognise this an not add the new reminder but still reset previous reminders. This way all you have to do is add zero period reminders to your desexing products. I will look into this, JIRA and hopefully I can contribute changes to project.
These has been some discussion on the forums re the check-in process steps which suggets allowing this to be customised and also to autoamte document printing selection. All good suggestions but no action on any development project yet.
Cheers Tony
Re: Reducing the number of steps to accomplish one task!
Hi Pound Road Veterinary & Tony,
The microchip prompt is a neat idea. But at billing (presumerably that would mean in the consult room in many clinics) or at Check Out? (Right in the middle of receipting).
Currently if neither of these options would suit (and neither would in our clinic) the click sequence is;
1. Patient
2. Information
3. Edit
4. Identities
5. Select "Microchip"
6. Add
7. OK
That is 7 clicks.
More generally, this request reminds me of the Reducing the Clicks project of old.
I like anything that reduces the number of clicks in any process. Even one click removed can make a remarkable difference to an end user considering how many times our staff or ourselves may repeat a process in any one day, week...
- We could remove click 5. by allowing users to set a "Default" to the list of Patient->Identity types.
Context Menus
This would remove clicks 1-4! And potentially in more then just this particular example.
Context menus are the list of actions that pop up when you right click something. In OpenVPMS these are not immediately available and would require an upgrade of the software that provides the user interface. A non trivial task!
But.... If the context menu showed up with a single universal keystroke? A function key or some other shortcut key?
This is also no trivial task but if there a family of common tasks for the currently selected customer or patient? Individual clinics could customise these lists and they could grow as the need arose.
eg.
"Add Microchip" -> Adds a new Identity to current patient and takes you straight to Microchip entry screen.
"Change address" -> Takes you straight to current address, ready for editing.
There are many very commonly repeated tasks that could be achieved. Add some to this list and if there is enough interest we might even raise a project!
Cheers,
Matt C