Managing Virtual Therapeutic Moieties (VTM) - hmislk/hmis GitHub Wiki
Introduction to Virtual Therapeutic Moieties (VTM)
Virtual Therapeutic Moieties (VTM) form a fundamental component of pharmaceutical management in Electronic Medical Records (EMR). VTMs are conceptual entities that represent the core of a medicinal product, focusing on the therapeutic substance without specifying strength, form, or brand. This abstraction is crucial for a comprehensive and flexible drug database, allowing for precise and varied drug administration protocols.
In our system, managing VTMs involves adding, editing, and deleting these entities to ensure that the drug database remains accurate and up-to-date. This functionality is vital for healthcare providers to tailor patient care effectively.
Sample VTMs: Paracetamol (Acetaminophen): Description: A widely used over-the-counter analgesic (pain reliever) and antipyretic (fever reducer). Common Use: Treatment of mild to moderate pain and reduction of fever.
Amoxicillin: Description: A penicillin-type antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. Common Use: Treatment of infections due to susceptible strains of bacteria, such as ear infections, urinary tract infections, and skin infections.
Metformin: Description: An oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels. Common Use: Used mainly in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, particularly in overweight and obese people.
Atorvastatin: Description: A statin medication used to prevent cardiovascular disease and treat abnormal lipid levels. Common Use: Used to lower bad cholesterol and fats (such as LDL, triglycerides) and raise good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood.
These examples illustrate the diversity of VTMs in the medical field and underscore the importance of their accurate management in the EMR system. The subsequent sections will guide you through the detailed processes involved in managing these VTMs.
Navigation to VTM Management
To begin managing VTMs, navigate through the EMR system by selecting: Menu > Administration > Pharmaceutical Management This will direct you to the "Pharmaceutical Management" page.
Medicine Component Management On the Pharmaceutical Management page, select the tab titled 'Medicine Component Management'.
VTM Management Overview
The 'Medicine Component Management' tab provides a platform to manage VTMs individually. On the left side of the page, you will find a list of VTMs. This list can be filtered based on your input to quickly locate specific VTMs.
VTMs Are Scoped by Department Type
Every VTM carries a department type — Pharmacy, Store or Lab — and each department type has its own VTM management screen under Pharmacy Administration:
| Department type | Tab | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | Pharmacy Item Management → VTMs | Amoxicillin |
| Store | Store Item Management → VTMs | A4 Papers |
| Lab | Lab Item Management → VTMs | Troponin T Test Kit |
Each screen lists, searches and saves only the VTMs of its own department type. A VTM added on the Store screen does not appear on the Lab or Pharmacy screen, and vice versa.
The Add New and Edit buttons on these screens require the PharmacyItemNameEdit
privilege for the department you are currently logged in to. If they appear greyed out,
the logged-in department does not carry that privilege.
Duplicate Names and Codes
The name and code of a VTM must be unique within its own department type, not across the whole system. The same name may be used once per department type.
For example, "Mirror" can exist as a Lab VTM and, separately, as a Store VTM:
Adding a second VTM with the same name inside one department type is still rejected, and the message names the department so it is clear which list the clash is in:
The same rule applies to the optional Code field: a code only has to be unique among the VTMs of the same department type.
Viewing and Editing VTMs
By selecting a VTM from the list on the left, its details (including the VTM name and description) will be displayed on the right side of the page. To edit a VTM, make the necessary changes in the displayed fields and click 'Save'. A confirmation message will appear upon successful saving.
Adding a New VTM
To add a new VTM, click the 'Add' button. The right side of the page will clear, allowing you to enter data for a new VTM. Input the name and description of the new VTM and click 'Save'. A message confirming the save will appear, and the new VTM will be added to the list on the left.
Deleting a VTM
If you need to delete a VTM, select the desired item from the list on the left and click the 'Delete' button. A warning message will prompt you to confirm the deletion. Once confirmed, the VTM will be permanently removed from the list. This section of the user manual guides users through the process of managing VTMs, ensuring clarity and efficiency in maintaining this crucial aspect of the EMR’s pharmaceutical management system.