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I'm interested in creating a framework of digital data standards that will allow diverse practitioners in homeopathy the ability to share or consolidate their cases in repositories. Much like original repertories were standardized data brought together in one place that benefited all practitioners, the ability to digitally transmit case data today allows for a tremendous opportunity to take our case information collection to the next level. The benefits will be better communication of similar cases, statistical review of cases, trends of practitioners, efficacy of dosages, efficacy of small remedies, and many more kinds of analysis.
Currently the medical community in general is beginning the process for digital standards using the data markup language XML which has everyone talking. The MedBiquitous Consortium is a non-profit international organization dedicated to creating a comprehensive XML framework for professional medical societies. Our society, governmental, and industry members build on this framework to create thriving online communities and Web-based services for physicians.
As the MedBiquitous Consortium issues its standards, I work with them in whatever online web services that I am trying out. The core technologies of the medical community's efforts are Java, UML, and XML. Actually, UML is not a technology standard. It is more of a way to draw diagrams that show what the structure of applications and is included in the Rational Unified Process (RUP), a standard for development of object-oriented applications.
As a Sun Certified Java Programmer and educator teaching Java and RUP, I plan over the next few years to see how these technologies can benefit the homeopathic community. If you would like to share your ideas for developing digital data standards or work with me towards this goal, I invite you to let me know what your interests are. One of the useful things that I would like to hear from practitioners are what kinds of useful fields do you use for recording information about your case.
