Indroduction
   Dr. Latha Priya, is a young Homoeopath graduated from Vinayaka Missions Homoeopathic Medical College, Salem. She is much interested in computer application and well versed. Here she presents an article on Computer in Patient Management.

   Recent days there is tremendous increase in computer utility among homoeopaths. The fist prime utility is patient management. Keeping records of the patients at beginning is much easier and when you become popular and the records are voluminous, really it gives strain, stress and headache to your receptionist, patient and also administrative heads. More over the time consuming, space occupying records , arrangement in serial number order, alphabetical order requires a separate manpower to your clinic when it is crowded with patients.

When your patient visits your clinic after a break, few years after, your new receptionist may annoy you to treat as a new study. Searching on diagnostic base without registration number is also a great task. Then the great task tails in keeping appointments, follow up dates, bills, certificates, despatching medicines etc.

Many Homoeopaths buy computer, install some homeopathic sofwares, try it systematically finally they lack interest and they use the softwares as reference book or occasionally use them for repertorisation for only few cases. Many do not keep case records in computer because the files may get lost, corrupted, reinstallation of the programs. Few type case sheets in word files and gradually the same task would make them fatigue. They are not able to use their computer properly for every case, then they keep their own method.

Many sofwares are available for patient management. Choose the best that suits you for every case study. Choose the one which minimize typing, because many of us are not skilled in typing. Initially it may be difficult to handle but gradually improves in speed, trial and error would make you a good typist.

Method of case taking, case processing may differ from physicians to physicians. However readymade systemic pages with click on facilities would save the time. Programming with report generation with a typical case history would help a physician to diagnose the disease level, for skilled prescription elicitation of required symptoms, recording is needed, repertorisation which can be excelled by their own brain.

Eventhough there enormous softwares are available in the field . if a physician is interested he can develop his own programming with a suitable data base and excellent icons for deck task application with aid of an engineer

The computers serve a physician in managing, case taking, case processing and other utilities as follows

• It allows a physician to prefix appointment of his patient
  
• It allows a physician to pick up a name of the patient by searching, registration number, name, diagnosis, date of registration etc. This simplified task enables a physician to recall a patient of long time back.
  
• Computer makes generation of case history, which can be given to the patient and ever hard copy can be saved in a file.
  
• Follow details on prescription comes in fingertips so that total review on improvement and various aspects on our prescription can be interpreted.
  
• Full details about the patient profile enable them to contact over phone, email and even to dispatch medicines generating a label. Thus it minimize the time and exhaustive works.
  
• You can now maintain complete record of your daily & monthly collections & view the balance amount at the time of follow-ups.
  
• You can instruct your patients on Do’s and Don’ts about diet.
  
• Maintaining facilities like bills, certificates, prescription through computers.
  
• You can print your cases and follow ups for submission of a Journal or paper presentation.
  
• There are options for images of the patient which makes them for fine review and case histories also chained with video files.