LibreHealthIO
Validation checks for Clinical Decision Rules in OpenEMR
There is a notable issue in OpenEMR concerning the creation of Clinical Decision Rules. Currently, there is a lack of validation for missing or incorrect data inputs, which significantly impacts the integrity and functionality of these rules. This absence of validation is leading to difficulties in creating effective and error-free plans later in the process.
Steps to Replicate the Issue
- Log in to OpenEMR.
- Navigate to the “Admin” section on the main toolbar, proceed to "Practice", and then select "Rules”.
- On the Rules Configuration page, there are options to add new rules or edit existing ones.
- Upon reviewing an incorrectly created rule, the issue becomes apparent. For example, in the "Reminder intervals" section, text input is allowed where numeric values should be required.
Proposed Enhancements
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Mandatory Field Validation: Implement a system where saving and proceeding is disabled if any required fields are missing. This will ensure that incomplete rules are not created.
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Data Type Validation: Specific fields, such as 'Reminder intervals', should only accept inputs of the correct data type (e.g., numeric).
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Limit on Required Inclusions: Introduce a limit on the number of required inclusions when entering a diagnosis. This will help in preventing potential future errors caused by excessive mandatory conditions.
These enhancements are vital for improving the functionality and reliability of the Clinical Decision Rules feature in OpenEMR. By enforcing stricter data validation, the system can prevent the creation of flawed rules, thus aiding healthcare providers in making more accurate and effective clinical decisions.
