Implementation of dentistry departments in OD

[bapajan]

Hi,

How to cater to all dentistry departments (Orthodontics, Periodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial, conservative, etc) in one instance of OD? Each department has easily over 20 operatories. There will be a need to share patient information between departments. View appointments department wise and also look at billing department wise.

I tried using Clinics for this, but then i am unable to view appointments clinic wise. I am sure the function keys will also run out.

Then i tried multiple database in the same server, in which case, how to share patient information across various departments?

I would be grateful to hear on thoughts / advise on the same.

Regards

[jordansparks]

Is this for a dental school here in the US, or one overseas? Just curious.

Basically, the only reason to use Clinics is so you can store different physical addresses for place of treatment. No need for that here. And the only reason for multiple databases is if you want to totally separate the practices. No need for that either. So neither. So let's say you have 100 operatories. There must be logical groupings of about 6 ops, more or less. Make each of them into an appt view. So now you have 17 views. Doesn't seem out of control. That's only 5 more beyond the F keys.

[bapajan]

Thank you for the reply. Yes, this is for use in a overseas dental school.

The hospital attached to the school has almost all the departments under dentistry. Each of this departments have more than 40-50 operatories. In terms of implementation, what is the best way to address all the departments under one database so that patient details could be shared by others and also each department views details relevant to theirs only.

In the meanwhile, I will try creating the views as suggested in your reply and then post my feedback.

Thank you once again.

[jordansparks]

The best way is all in one database with no clinics. The only area where you really need refinement of the OD program seems to be in the Appointment views. Everything else should be working just fine. For example, you do want all patients to show in the patient select window. So I think yes, maybe there is some room for eventual improvement to the Appointment views. Maybe appointment view departments or something. That way, the appointment view dropdown would only contain appointment views that were in your department. But the obvious workaround is to name your view cleverly so that they are prefixed with the department. It will have the same effect, just not quite as elegant.

[bapajan]

Thank you once again for the reply.

I tried the appointment views as suggested earlier and quiet agree with you on this feature as the workaround.

Correct me if i am wrong, also by cleverly coding the procedure codes one can gather information on patients treated at various departments.

Is the appointment view stored along with patient details so that we could gather department wise appointment reports?

Regards

[jordansparks]

Ah, appointment reports. Well, we have the print button in the appointment screen which only prints the current view.

What kinds of reports exactly? If it's just an appointment report of some kind, then you could cleverly name the operatories, and then you could run a query based on the operatory name.

[bapajan]

Thank you. Could i run the query report even after the appointment is complete and also on a later date?

[jordansparks]

Sure.

[bapajan]

Thank you very much.