If the files are ASCII then they could be easily read directly in MUMPS. I am not familiar with the current Fileman import capabilities, but if that is not sufficient to the task, the data could still be imported with a relatively simple and quite small little MUMPS program.
You don't say whether your current software handles the embedded commas corrrectly. Embedded commas could be handled easily if the fields are quoted so as to distinguish them from the field delimiters. If not, then I am sure that the great majority of them could be handled with some simple heuristics based on the file structure. Mike Schrom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >The problem is that my present practice management system has no >inherent export function. The files are ASCII, but with commas embedded. >However, I could print a report to a text file, which would be a fixed >width, and after eliminating the automatic page breaks and adding >required fields, send that to FileMan. Will give it a try. > >Greg Woodhouse wrote: > >> There are a number of options, of which tab delimited fields is only >> one. You can use quoted fields >> >> "This is field one","This is field two" >> >> alternative delimiters (like "^"), or even fixed width fields. Fileman >> supports them all. >> >> --- steven mcphelan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> >>>Assuming the practice mgmt system allows for this, have you tried >>>exporting >>>the data in a TAB delimited format? This presumes that the system >>>which has >>>the source data does not allow the entering of a <TAB> character as >>>part of >>>any data element. >>> >>>----- Original Message ----- >>>From: "Mike Schrom" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>To: <hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net> >>>Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 12:33 PM >>>Subject: Re: [Hardhats-members] Importing legacy patient data >>> >>> >>> >>>>At a minimum, I want name, address, dob, phones, ssn. More would >>> >>>be >>> >>>>better, like Insurance, Primary care doc. I can get it out in ASCII >>> >>>and >>> >>>>put it in any format, but there is a lot of work involved. I use a >>>>version of Medical Manager from the mid '90s. The files are ASCII, >>> >>>comma >>> >>>>delimited, but over the years my secretaries have added patients >>> >>>with >>> >>>>inconsistent data. For example Medical Manager somehow doesn't care >>> >>>if >>> >>>>you enter an address as "1 main St., Apt. 2" or as "1 main St. Apt. >>> >>>2", >>> >>>>but if you read it as a CSV it imports the first as two fields, >>> >>>Same >>> >>>>with "Smith, Jr." There are lots of records with this problem, so >>> >>>I >>> >>>>have to manually edit them. This is OK but time consuming. I can >>> >>>put it >>> >>>>into an Excel or Open Office file and add fields for patient type >>> >>>or >>> >>>>veteran status if FM requires it and then export it again as a CSV. >>> >>>The >>> >>>>SSN is stored as 9 digits, but I can add "-" if necessary (even if >>> >>>I >>> >>>>have to parse it in BASIC, which is all I remember how to program >>> >>>in!) >>> >>>>My issue is how you get FM to import this data and exactly what >>> >>>fields >>> >>>>are required. >>>> >>>>Thurman Pedigo wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>>I went through this a few months ago and have a routine for it. >>> >>>It had a >>> >>>>>problem with loading SSN and I need to revisit and be sure I have >>> >>>that >>>set >>> >>>>>correctly. Will be glad to share it. >>>>> >>>>>What fields do you wish to populate? How will you generate the >>> >>>data? >>>Mine >>> >>>>>came from FileMan, therefore I had control over the ASCII format. >>>>> >>>>>thurman >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>>-----Original Message----- >>>>>>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> >>>[mailto:hardhats- >>> >>>>>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kevin >>> >>>Toppenberg >>> >>>>>>Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 7:46 AM >>>>>>To: hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net >>>>>>Subject: Re: [Hardhats-members] Importing legacy patient data >>>>>> >>>>>>Yes, someone posted about doing this recently (I can't remember >>> >>>who. >>> >>>>>>Try searching the archives for 'import' and 'registration'). I >>> >>>assume >>> >>>>>>you are talking about importing demographic information only. >>>>>> >>>>>>I think that you save the file in a comma-delimited file. Then >>> >>>use >>> >>>>>>the fileman import facility. One key point is that certain >>> >>>fields are >>> >>>>>>required in the patient file (#200)--such as patient type, >>> >>>veteran >>> >>>>>>status etc. You have to make sure you have data for this field >>> >>>in >>> >>>>>>each record you upload, or the record will be rejected. >>>>>> >>>>>>I did this another (much harder) way by writing custom code. It >>> >>>was a >>> >>>>>>"good learning experiance." I uploaded about 70,000 demographic >>>>>>entries this way. >>>>>> >>>>>>Kevin >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>On 9/28/05, Mike Schrom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>>Anyone having any success with batch importing legacy patient >>> >>>data? I >>> >>>>>>>want to start with minimal patient demographics from a text, csv >>> >>>or xls >>> >>>>>>>file which I can, with a lot of manual editing, get out of my >>> >>>present >>> >>>>>>>practice management system. I've been following the postings on >>> >>>Vista >>> >>>>>>>imaging for scanning in paper charts, but, I need to get the >>> >>>patients >>>in >>> >>>>>>>first and the imaging instructions are a bit too technical for >>> >>>me. --------------------------------------- Jim Self Systems Architect, Lead Developer VMTH Computer Services, UC Davis (http://www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/us/jaself) ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by: Power Architecture Resource Center: Free content, downloads, discussions, and more. http://solutions.newsforge.com/ibmarch.tmpl _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members
