Case Study #3

Challenge

• Medication packaging system originally written for DOS using proprietary data structures needed to be redeveloped for Windows. Our client's goals were to produce a feature rich system that is easier to use, with no loss of user data, and which could be a single or multi-user implementation without headache.

Solution

• Using Powerbuilder and SQLAnywhere, design structures, design and develop Windows32 MDI application providing enhanced functionality, visual cues, and authorization security to limit access to system features.
  
  
• Develop conversion routines for the existing data to be used in the new system.
  
  
• Provide import ability of new data from the pharmacy system.
  
  
• Enhancements over the years have included:
  • Design and develop a real time TCP/IP gateway interface to capture additions and changes in the pharmacy system.
  • Design and develop a real time data share system. Only packaging specific data is entered in our system, all other data is shared from the pharmacy system.
    
    
• Develop enhanced reporting features.
  
  

Benefits

• Our client reports a dramatic decrease in support calls since initial implementation.
  
  
• Customers' reactions to the Windows software has been extremely positive.
  
  
• Our client reports increased referrals from current users for the packaging software.
  
  
• Customers' reactions to the user criteria specified, detailed reports have been extremely positive.
  
  
• BETA sites' reactions to the new (April/May, 2003) data share software system is overwhelmingly positive.
  
  
• This system was developed for Windows in 1997/98, a time when desktop systems mostly ran Windows 95/98 (I think our development machines were NT 3.51 at that time). As newer hardware has become available, the system was ported, with no code changes, to desktop systems up to and including Windows XP. The software has had numerous feature enhancements over the years, and is in use today at over 300 locations.