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I have run the gamut in search of the perfect written SOAP format, from the arrows, to check off forms, to hand writing only a mother could love, in the quest to find what worked best for me. My requirements are speed and the ability to customize for each individual patient. Now that the computer has come of age, I have looked at the credit card scanning devices, the scantron forms and the voice recognizing dictation. Athough each has it's benefit, they just didn't feel right for me. I also knew from experience that you can throw a whole lot of money at a vendor that will then make you a slave to their upgrades.
I was playing around with the "Forms" capabilities in my Microsoft Word one day and realized that if I could get a very small computer, I could type the necessary "patient specific" information as fast as I could write it long hand on my chart AND include drop down boxes to "check off" the redundant stuff. To make a long story longer, I had been toying with the idea of getting a "hand held computer" running "Windows CE". These are actual computers, that are no bigger than a pocket calculator and run a trimmed down version of Windows 95. Although, the idea of the small size was enticing, the local dealer finally got one in stock out here in Montana, and the keyboard was just too small for my fingers and eyes to struggle with on a daily basis. It has a touch screen and stylus to use a handwriting recognition program, but like voice recognition, we will all have to wait a few more years before they reach a speed that can keep up with me. Toshiba has come out recently with a full version computer running windows 95 that is somewhere between the size of a lap top and a hand held, called the Libretto. If any of you have one please let me know how it works for you.
I went out and picked up a small, stripped down compaq ,with no sound card, no CD, but 133mhz chip and 24megs of ram for speed. It weighs only 5 lbs. And is no problem carrying from room to room. I have been using the forms capabilities to do my notes for several months now and it is working as well as I had planned.
The reason I have written this page is two fold. I have had many requests via email on how to go about setting this type of program up. Putting a web page on Chiro.Org seemed to be a logical format to explain the instructions. Secondly, and most important, I feel the possibilities to create a much better program, including exam forms, data bases, etc. are endless, if we can get a group of interested DC's to contribute their "tips and tricks". Thanks!
