Recently at work I have been working on a new internal web page for processing information. The basis of it is that we have to enter data into a database, and it is a rare thing when we get a form A. filled out correctly, and/or B. legible. So in an effort to reduce the issues we are having with both those items we have webized it. The easy solution would of course be to have the individual who is responsible for filling out the paper work input into the database. However due to legality issues, license issues, and other we cannot have them do that. So I have set up MySQL and PHP on the webserver and started transitioning the forms into PHP w/ CSS.
There are four different forms that are submitted to us in IT to process. They are the ENTRY, MINIMUM, EXIT, and TURNAWAY. The first three are ready, and inputs the data into the database, allows for viewing, but at this point does not allow anyone to edit it. This will be reserved for admins/managers and implemented at a later time. I’m hoping that we will be able to make the leap to a paperless enviorment for the whole thing. Having two filing cabinets storing paperwork that chances are we are never going to look at again seems like a waste of time, energy and space.
Next on the agenda is the TURNAWAY form. I have also been toying with the idea of combining the ENTRY and MINIMUM forms into one. Since one cannot process data in the other database without both forms this seems to make sense. Once that has been completed the next stage will be to change the output of the database to have a “PRINT” maximized for printing output version. And to make the system email me with the clientid, and form id numbers so that I transfer the data into the state run database. The whole thing seems rather silly to me. But ultimately it should enable us to sell the product to other non-profits, or take over being the HMIS database for NH.