Portal vs Relationship question...

[PathGeek]

In trying to create a patient/disease database for use in my blood pathology practice I am running into problems.

My intent is to have patient information and Disease/diagnosis. Selecting a diagnosis should bring up salient criteria/features of the disease for viewing, classification criteria and an industry standard diagnosis "checklist". Classification schemes vary with organ systems; schemes and checklists will version-change with time.

The Patient Table includes items such as NameFirst, NameLast, DOB

The confusion is in how to create the disease side of the database; I may be making this more confusing than needed, but Diseases and their classifications have many sub-sets.

I'd appreciate help in how to set up the tables/portals. I think I need tables for ClassificationScheme, OrganSystems, and OrganSystemSpecificDiagnosis but have no idea how to represent this is tables or portals...

Have attached an image in attempt to more aptly describe...

TIA

[Peter (duksis3)]

Hi,

As I understand - you have Diseases, ClassificationScheme, OrganSystems, and OrganSystemSpecificDiagnosis with many subsets.

Try representation as hierarchy ( look here ) and make a script to place disease you have determine (with classification) on Patient record. Place Patient record portal (sort by alphabet) on hierarchy layout header (relationship -any).

[PathGeek]

Thanks, Peter.

I've looked at this and think it's way beyond my knowledge scope.... anyone have any work-arounds for a newbie?

[efen]

Is the attached of any use? It doesn't use hierarchies, is much simpler and is only a possible starting point; much remains to be done.

It may not be anything like you want or need...

diagnosis.zip

[PathGeek]

This is a leap in the right direction for me, thanks! I spent the weekend reading about relationships and came up with something "close" but missing the JOIN tables, which make all the difference. Need to read more on how that works.

Thanks for your help!