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Topic starter
We are trying to limit some trash entered into the PCP field on our HPI form without using the alphanumeric mask option. Up until now there has been no mask, it’s a blank – anything at all can be entered. What we want is if someone replaces the name that is currently in the field with a period (or some other entries like N/A), we want the field to immediately display ‘None’. I changed it from an edit field to a dropdown field and added None as an option but I know people will still use the period or some variation of N/A. What happens now it that the period stays in the field even after you tab to the next field (although you can see ‘None’ flicker like it might be thinking about populating the field). It only updates once you click on the PCP field again. We want it to update to None as soon as the person moves to another field. Is it possible to do this? I don’t know; this may be simple and I’m just not seeing it. Just a follow up – if you enter a period then close the update and open it again, None does populate the field. I think this is something to do with how Centricity refreshes but I can’t explain it.
If obsprev value is a period (no provider name), it does change to None when a new update is started.
Posted : January 26, 2018 12:55 pm
I think we need a bit more info on how you are changing the field to None. It sounds like this is a custom form you have written some coding on, so I think what you need is a watcher expression. if the form works on load, for OBSPREV being a period, or if you put it on hold after entering garbage and then re-opening works, it just sounds like a timing issue to me.
Can you please share how you are changing the value of the dropdown box to "None"? that would help give a more specific solution. Maybe also consider limiting the choices to the dropdown list so that no free-text can be entered.
Thank you, and good luck!
Daniel C.
Posted : January 30, 2018 5:38 am
In your drop down list, click the button that says "Limit entry to choice list". Then they can't type anything in the field.
Posted : January 31, 2018 8:51 am
In our system, when you click in that field - you only have the option of selecting the current responsible provider. I am guessing we've got the limit entry to choice list engaged somehow.
Posted : February 1, 2018 9:41 am
Topic starter
Good morning everyone and thank you for replying to my question. I'm not sure we are ever going to get this resolved here. Management does not want 'junk' entered into the field but they also don't want any limitations put on what can be entered. I have some code written so that if someone has typed in only a period '.', the next time the form is opened, 'None' will display. Since it's up to the MAs and physicians (but mainly the MAs) to make sure that the name of the primary care provider is entered correctly, they will have to be able to make changes; limiting the choice of PCP to a dropdown list won't work since we get patients from a wide area in the northwest as well as the south (a lot of snowbirds).
Posted : February 8, 2018 5:42 am
So it sounds like it pulls in the previous value, and staff members are not wanting the PCP to have the previous value, so they put in a period.
I have 2 suggestions.
1). Add a "None" or "Clear" button to the right of the form, that sets the OBs term to a "None" value. It sounds like they want a way to mark it if there is no name, but they are very inconsistent in how they do it. I have done this any time I populate an obs that may be marked as none or N/A. it really helps on standardizing, and staff would rather have a button than type something. As long as you train it out really well, it solves this problem for 90% of users.
2). try this code in your form (Change "PCP" to the Obs term you are using):
{if OBSNOW("PCP") == "." then
OBSNOW("PCP","None")
else ""
endif}
If your code is already like this, you may have to run a MEL trace to see if there is an error causing the strange behavior.
Good luck!
Daniel C.
Posted : February 8, 2018 5:59 am
