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:

1. Drug identification (commercial name, form, strength)
   • hover over drug identification to show yellow tooltip additional information (1a)
2. “Available Personal Protocols” showing
   • list of existing protocols, with the top (oldest) protocol pre-selected by default
   • “+” and “-” tools for creating new (and deleting) protocols
   • “Protocol name” label (editable)
3. Drug protocol dosage details
   • repeat of drug identification (hover will show same 3a tooltip as 1a)
   • prescription details, organized into panes: Basics, Schemes, Limits, Links, Monitoring, Note
   • option to express this protocol using the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) drug name
4. Help/reference, Prescribe/Save and Cancel buttons
5. Interaction icon
   • here shown in two places as a green checkmark, could be question or warning icons
   • hover to show tooltip of interactions (not shown)

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

• to speed up the process of prescribing,
• to create prescriptions that use INN in place of commercial names
• (future) to automate limit-checking (age, weight, height, creatinine clearance, limits ICD10 …)

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.

• Intake instruction statements
  • dosage amount or range (x to y divided doses): numeric combined with textual “form”
    • textual form default is configurable
    • free text will auto-filter existing values or you can click on the personnal icon located next to the combo (see picture) or create a new value
  • frequency: numeric combined with textual “time unit”
  • duration or range of durations (x to y): numeric combined with textual “time unit”
• Use INN format in the prescription and in the protocol
  • option makes this protocol available to all other drugs with a matching INN and strength
  • note some substances do not have an INN and so cannot be linked this way
• Approve “100%” of prescription for full drug reimbursement
  • option to communicate eligibility for full or chronic medication authorization
  • not applicable to all countries or regions, whose policies vary

Screenshot:

The particulars: time of day to catch, hours (not working), interval between intakes, relationship with food.

Screenshot:

Currently under development

• Limits by age
• Limits by diagnosis (ICD10 coding, EDRC - currently under development))
• Limits by weight, height, body surface area, creatinine clearance …
• Limits for pregnant and lactating
• Links
• Monitoring program: biology, clinical …

Screenshot of Limits:

A free-text note (that is intended to appear on the prescription)

Screenshot:

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:

• Save protocol and Prescribe
• Prescribe only (protocol adjustments will not be kept)
• Save protocol only
• Test interactions only: add medication for testing, but omit it from the prescription

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.

Textual Prescription