RE: [Hardhats-members] How do I get an up to date VA PRODUCT file?

[Cameron Schlehuber]

That sounds like a good application of your time, making the selections used locally from standard entries.  VHA is working on the processes and software to perform what is called Rapid New Term Turn-around in support of adding standard entries for all the tables that currently have standard entries (e.g. VA PRODUCT) as well as old tables that are in process of becoming standardized.  (E.g. the GMR ALLERGIES are being mapped to VHA Enterprise Reference Terminology unique concepts represented by VUIDs … VHA Unique Identifiers)  So, updates for new drugs would come in the same process supporting all standard tables with daily deliveries of HL7 messages containing the information to update the standard entries.   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kevin Toppenberg Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005 7:36 AM To: hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [Hardhats-members] How do I get an up to date VA PRODUCT file?   Nancy,   This is exactly what I am working on.  My plan is this: 1. Query the user to establish an exclusion list.  This is because the VA PRODUCT file is full of things that I don't want on my forumulary, such as bedpans and heplock solutions.  The good news is that each of the items in the VA PRODUCT file is given a drug class.  There is a class for antimicrobials, another for chemotherapy drugs etc.  And there are subclasses etc for further detail.  So if the user specifies that they don't want chemotherapy drugs in their local formulary, we can filter those out.   2. I will then take all entries in the VA PRODUCT file, and use that to fill the DRUG file, which is the local forumulary file.   The problem I am having is that my VA PRODUCT file is quite old.  For example, it contains REZULIN, which was taken off the market at leat 5 years ago.   But this is going to be an Achilles heel for VOE.  Drugs can't be prescribed until they are entered into VistA.  So if a drug rep comes around and promotes the latest sleep aid, "Rozerem", and you want to try it, well forget it until there is an entry in the VA PRODUCT file, that can then be copied into the DRUG file.    And I don't think that local users (such as myself) will be able to make our own entries in the VA PRODUCT file.  I think this file is supposed to be the same on all installations of VistA.  And it contains links to the INGREDIENTS file (I believe) that ensure proper drug interaction testing.   So for right now, I am working on the VA PRODUCT --> DRUG file automation.  I'll have to figure out some solution to this more fundamental problem later...   Kevin