An XML Formulary by Anticlue

Last week, Microsoft released a nice how to incorporate an xml schema into a template. The article continues to use the xml schema incorporated template to create xml documents. You can find the guide here.

So why is this significant? As I've previously mentioned, the redundant work in multiple areas for hospital wide documentation is significant. The power of XML could really cut down on this redundancy. The power of XML standardization for example,

Here could be the start of an xml schema for drugs

<xsd:schema xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">

<xsd:annotation>
   <xsd:documentation>
      Drug Sheet for formulary
   </xsd:documentation>
</xsd:annotation>

<xsd:element name="Drug" type="DrugType"/>

<xsd:complexType name="DrugType" mixed="true">
   <xsd:sequence>
      <xsd:element name="GenericDrugName" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="1"/>
      <xsd:element name="RetailDrugName" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="1"/>
      <xsd:element name="DosageForms" type="DosageFormTypes" minOccurs="1">
   </xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="DosageFormTypes">
   <xsd:element name="DosageForm" minOccurs="1">
   <xsd:complexType>
      <xsd:element name="Form" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="1"/>
      <xsd:element name="DosageFormats" type="xsd:DosageType" minOccurs="1"/>
   </xsd:complexType>
   </xsd:element>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="DosageType">
   <xsd:sequence>
      <xsd:element name="Dose" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="1"/>
   </xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

</xsd:schema>

And here is a sample xml document for Benadryl (formulary example here)

<Drug>
   <GenericDrugName>Diphenhydramine HCL</GenericDrugName>
   <RetailDrugName>Benadryl</RetailDrugName>
   <DosageForms>
      <DosageForm>
         <Form>Tablets</Form>
         <DosageFormats>
            <Dose>25mg</Dose>
            <Dose>50mg</Dose>
         </DosageFormats>
      </DosageForm>
      <DosageForm>
         <Form>Chewable Tablets</Form>
         <DosageFormats>
            <Dose>12.5mg</Dose>
         </DosageFormats>
      </DosageForm>
      <DosageForm>
         <Form>Capsules</Form>
         <DosageFormats>
            <Dose>25mg</Dose>
            <Dose>50mg</Dose>
         </DosageFormats>
      </DosageForm>
      <DosageForm>
         <Form>Syrup, Elixir, and Solution</Form>
         <DosageFormats>
            <Dose>12.5mg/5ml</Dose>
         </DosageFormats>
      </DosageForm>
      <DosageForm>
         <Form>Liquid</Form>
         <DosageFormats>
            <Dose>6.25mg/5ml</Dose>
            <Dose>12.5mg/5ml</Dose>
         </DosageFormats>
      </DosageForm>
   </DosageForms>
</Drug>

Now, here is the power, once we have this definition completed.

The pharmacists can make changes in word a tool everyone is familiar with, and save document in xml format. No learning a new tool, and no more synchronizing every document. Just modified the .dot to have it look for a new version of the .dot for bug fixes, and push the xml file to all needed locations.

That xml file goes to an XML database.

That xml file can be read by a web application then viewed on the intranet, and be searched upon in a web application, at a significant level of ganularity.

That xml file can go off to the publishing company for the booklet of the inhouse formulary.

Probably with the db you can send the XML file to be imported to the palms of the medical students.

When changes are made, it is to one central place, and we are synchronizing with everyone. What a wonderful thing. Coming up with ideas is easy, implementing this idea, that's hard. But you could reuse the pattern you created for the policy and procedures, infection control, lab services directory, I think you get the idea.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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