Status update for OSCAR

A talented Physician/programmer just wrote a "web page app" that allows you to make your own e-forms for OSCAR.

This means that if you have a "form" that you use regularly - like a lab form, a Radiology referral form or a specialist referral form - you can have it rendered into a "computerized" version for OSCAR very quickly and easily.....all by yourself!

Other EMR software programs require you to pay hundreds of dollars or more per form!

All you have to do to make your own eform is to go to the OSCAR site and download the 4th version of the "E-form generator".

Then, just scan your form into a black and white low resolution image and clean it up in photoshop or something - save it at about 150 dpi 8 1/2 x 11 B&W *.png image. This is pretty straightforward, and if this is beyond you - just post a request for help on the OSCAR forum. Somebody will be bound to help you out right away (this is the nature of open source software).

Now just follow the directions on the Eform Generator in order to make your form. Upload the generated forms in OSCAR (that you made with the eform generator) and start using it right away! Specific directions are on the website above. See here for instructions on scanning and preparing your images.

Now, you don't have to have numerous pads of various forms for Radiology referrals, Specialist referrals, lab form referrals, etc., etc. You just click on the form you want from the list in your patient's chart on OSCAR - and it will automatically have the patient information in it as well as your information. Just print it and give it to the patient.....or print it to the fax machine and fax it directly to the service that you want!

I created "signed" forms by signing the forms prior to scanning them.

BTW - After a few snags (like difficulty finding reliable programming people) - we're only a little ways away from getting labs done and a totally new Alberta Health Billing system done for OSCAR. The design of the billing system is being done by an Accountant/programmer....so it will be uniquely sophisticated for both insured and uninsured billings.

Stay tuned.....

Note: ipad/iPhone printing is just around the corner.....this means that you can soon use your ipad in the office to run OSCAR - and even print prescriptions from it.