Prescribing with FreeDiams is amazingly simple. Drug database selections can be adapted and saved as reusable and future-standardizable “personal protocols”. Database listings can also be ignored, by using “pure text” mode. Multi-drug prescriptions can be saved into “templates”. Even before the prescription is final, FreeDiams will use available information to warn of interactions.
With the dosage creator you can create standard dosages, you can lookup information, and / or you can simply prescribe.
From top to bottom, the parts are:
Note that while it is entirely possible to skip protocols (Zone 2), you should try them. You will then experience how they can help save you time and errors!
Screenshot:
Basic information as defined in the database. More information can be exposed by hovering on this identification (see 1a). This same yellow tooltip is also exposed when hovering on the drug identification at 3a.
Personal protocols can be created and saved in a way to be accessed only under the selected Zone 1 drug or to be accessible inside any drug which has a matching International Normalized Name (INN) and strength. Example: Clamoxyl 1g ↔ AMOXICILLIN 1g. (See Zone 3 “Used for INN…”).
Inputting text into the “Protocol name” will automatically adjust the main action button to save the protocol. This behaviour can be changed in the Drugs > Protocols preference, as can the background color for drugs with available protocols.
Each time you next open the Drug Dosage Creator, the first protocol on the list will be in focus and will auto-load its values. To create additional protocols, click the “+” control. New protocols, after being saved, will live at the bottom of the list.
Personal protocols permit
Standardizing dosages
FreeDiams will enable its users to pool their personal protocols into a shared, comprehensive database. In order for these to serve as a reference, a clinical scientific committee would need to advise on standardized dosages. We would welcome volunteers → please write to us on our mailing list: freemedforms@googlegroups.com.
Screenshot:
The particulars: time of day to catch, hours (not working), interval between intakes, relationship with food.
Screenshot:
Currently under development
Screenshot of Limits:
Select “AMLOR 5 mg” as medicine.
Complete the following standard dosage: Hypertension - Monthly “: 1 intake 1 day for 1 month.
Click on <b>Transform to INN prescription</b>, the INN wording appears below: amlodipine 5 mg. What
means that the dosage will be accessible to all drugs containing only as INN \e amlodipine
at a dosage of 5 milligrams.
Verify that the icon INN is now before the label of the dosagee in the top frame.
Save without prescribing.
Select “AMLODIP * 5 * mg” as medicine.
All will have access to the newly created dosage.
All medications can be prescribed in INN mode. The limitations are: - The database itself (the INN is not known for all chemical molecules) - Medicines: single specialty only one INN may be prescribed in INN.
Double-click on the prescribed medication in the prescription area.
If the button “INN” is clickable, the specialty may be prescribed in INN.
Click the “INN” which is located beside the drug name and click OK.
Check the name of the INN will be required (it replaces the name of specialty).
Help and links to other information are available under “Help / Infos”.
The action button offers four choices:
The default action is Prescribe only. However, changing any values will also change the button action to Save protocol and Prescribe unless you change the button setting back. You can alter this behaviour in application preferences.
In this screenshot, they are shown as a green checkmark to indicate absence of known interactions. Other icons include information, question marks, and caution and warning icons.
Hover over either icon to show the tooltip of interactions (tooltip not shown).
From time to time, it is necessary to add a prescription using free text, which FreeDiams calls “pure text”. To add a prescription using “pure text”, you exit Drug Dosage Creator and work from the main FreeDiams window.
Click on the pencil icon to the right of the search box. A window will appear. You just have to provide the name of the medication, and instructions. When you confirm your entry, the pencil icon will be displayed to the left of the pure text prescription, in the prescription list.
Future versions of FreeDiams you will save these textual prescriptions into your personal database so that you can reuse these, too. Presently, they can stored in a template.