Re: [Gnumed-devel] Medication lists - Duration - Started

[Busser, Jim]

On 2013-07-26, at 9:47 AM, Jim Busser <address@hidden> wrote:

> On the issue of whether "started" (clin_when) must be
> 
>       NOT NULL
> 
> what I get from
> 
>       psql -d gnumed_v18 -U gm-dbo -c '\d clin.substance_intake'
> 
> includes
> 
>       clin_when             | timestamp with time zone | not null default 
> now()
> 
> and so while I think it is helpful to default to 'now()' which covers the 
> case of newly-initiated medications, I think we should remove the NOT NULL 
> constraint which appears to me will not affect any of the check constraints 
> nor triggers. In fact, the only check constraint that even touches clin_when 
> (which none of the triggers do) is
> 
>           "discontinued_after_started" CHECK (clin_when IS NULL OR 
> discontinued IS NULL OR discontinued >= clin_when AND discontinued <= now())
> 
> which even contemplated the possibility of
> 
>       clin_when IS NULL
> 
> so can we agree to this one, and proceed to other considerations?

This existing requirement for me to input, in the case of medications initiated 
*outside* the praxis, by some *outside* clinician, months or years ago,

        clin_when (date started)

 is continuing to prove highly frustrating for the sense of risk that it 
creates around perpetuating within (and flowing outside) the praxis this 
pseudo-accurate information ...

Until this issue is within GNUmed resolved, can I

1) remove the constraint clin_when NOT NULL, and

2) at my next GNUmed database upgrade,

        replace all missing values for clin_when with January 1, 1900
        reapply the constraint
        perform the upgrade
        remove the constraint
        replace all values for clin_when with NULL where clin_when = January 1, 
1900

? 

-- Jim