Report Generator (Brainstorming)
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Freemed-YiRC: Report Generator
NOTE: This page is preserved for archive purposes. For newer information, please see Report Generator.
Contents |
Summary
This article describes a possible major addition to the Freemed-YiRC system. There is apparently a great need for a highly customizable report generator in Freemed-YiRC, especially in the area of foster care. The current Service Plan module (in V1.0) may need a makeover. One method would be to incorporate a report generator which, if created with enough flexibility, could not only be used to create a variety of reports, but may also make the Service Plan module obsolete (at least, the Service Plan document generation portion).
The Process, Visualized
Terms
- Module - In Freemed-YiRC, a module is an existing term for a specific part of the program. The Incident Report System is a module. The Clinical Casenote System is a module. Anytime major new functionality is added to the system, it's typically done in a module.
- Report Segment - This one requires a bit more explanation. In Freemed-YiRC V1.0, the Service Plan module also has what are called modules. However, this is a bit confusing due to it's ambiguity. Service Plan modules are used to build a template of a service plan. In the proposed Freemed-YiRC Report Generator, this would be re-termed as a Report Segment. See the next term for more information.
- Report Template - This would be somewhat synonymous with an outline. In the proposed Report Generator, a report would be a bunch of Report Segments.
- Draft Report - This would be the product of the creation of a report using the output of the Report Segments listed in the Report Template.
- Final Report - This would be the report as saved by a word processor. The file type could vary wildly depending upon agency preference. For instance, an agency using Microsoft Office could save their final reports as Word documents. An agency using Open Office could save it in that format, or Word, or even the new ODF (or even OOXML format). An agency could also choose to keep the final report in the same format as the draft report, HTML. In addition, an agency could choose to save the document in a secondary format which could be viewed easily on-line, such as HTML or PDF. This could then be viewed without the use of a word processor (and would curb the ability of others to edit the final document and save to their local systems, potentially causing versioning issues).
Required Modifications To Freemed-YiRC V1.0
This process is somewhat similar to what takes place in the Freemed-YiRC V1.0 Service Plan module. However, that module is designed for one task... Service Plans. And it's currently hard-coded to do the service plan process in two pieces.. Service Plans (which are forward looking, similar to an updated ISP), and Evals (which are past looking, similar to an ISP Review). For foster care agencies who also currently do Monthly Reports for counties or other agencies, this is not sufficient.
Therefore, this proposed system would require a new Freemed-YiRC Module in and of itself. If done correctly, this module would supersede the existing Service Plan module in V1.0. However, the data entry portions of the Service Plan module would still be quite useful, and would be made use of, by this new modules Report Segments.
While the technical modification to Freemed-YiRC would be somewhat small, as this would simply be a new module, the implications are great. Both on the work needing to be done and the benefits of said work. There will possibly be needed many Report Segments. Each one which will make use of existing Freemed-YiRC modules. As well, to accomodate the foster care agencies, other new Freemed-YiRC modules will need to be created as well, but those are outside the scope of this article.
Features
- Variables
- Various information (demographic and otherwise) will be available through the use of Variables. What does this mean? If you are creating a report, and you need to include the resident's date of birth, you can simply insert a variable where you wish the date of birth to be shown on the report. Therefore, no extra programming will be required in order to retrieve that information from the database.
- Unlimited Number of Document Templates
- The current Freemed-YiRC V1.00 Service Plan module is hard-coded for two types of documents, Service Plans and Evals. However, under the new Report Generator, you may create as many types of documents as you wish.
- This is helpful because if a given child requires an extra, or different, report for a given county or other entity, this will not be a problem.
- Document Structure Flexibility
- In the Freemed-YiRC Report Generator, Document Templates are made up of modular Report Segments. These report segments will send the report output in HTML format. This provides for creating a structured document which can make use of HTML tables which can allow for rows/columns of data.
- The Report Segments can also include graphics/pictures to provide for a more professional look.
- Standardized Terms
- While an agency will have the freedom to name a document anything they wish, a list of Standard Report Names will be given to aid in future information transfer/comparison between agencies.
- Examples:
- Initial
- ISP (Individualized Service Plan)
- Periodic
- ISP Review (Past looking - IF DONE AS A SEPARATE DOCUMENT)
- ISP (Forward looking, basically an ISP update, can optionally include past looking information as well (i.e., include info on Quarterly ISP Review))
- Monthly Report
- Quarterly Report - Different than ISP.
- Terminiation
- Discharge Summary
- Initial
