Dynamize your actions with variables

Discover the power of variables {..} in messages, clinical notes, API calls, ...

Sanne Willekens avatar
Written by Sanne Willekens
Updated over a week ago

You can use patient and care flow data points as variable data inputs to

  • personalize your messages - e.g. address the patient with first name

  • build your clinical reports - e.g. list a patient's response or score calculation

  • fine-tune your API calls - e.g. pass ID's and reference dates

Variables can be added via the {..} icon in the toolbar. You can either create and insert a new variable or re-use existing variables in your care flow.

How to configure a new variable

Option #1:

  1. Go to the Elements tab of your care flow

  2. Select Variables in the right-hand menu

  3. Click the "Create variable" button

Option #2:

  1. Click the {..} icon within your message, clinical note, API call ...

  2. Give your variable a comprehensive name

  3. Select the data point you wish to use as a variable in your message

  4. Select the correct attribute for this variable. The attributes are specific for the type of data point collected.

    Attribute types:

    • Print answer value: displays the numeric value that corresponds with the answer option (in case of Single Select or Multiple Select question types)

    • Print answer label: displays the textual answer that corresponds with the answer option

    • Print calculation value: displays the numeric value of the calculation

    • Print collection/calculation date: displays the date on which the data point or calculation was captured

A concrete example

  • The form 'Treatment decision' captures two variables:

    • Treatment: single select question type to identify the choice of treatment

    • Treatment_start_date: start date of the treatment

  • A message is configured using the above two variables:

    • Treatment: attribute selected is 'Print answer label'

    • Treatment_start_date: attribute selected is 'Print date'

  • Using the Preview, the message will be dynamically filled out using the configured variables:

Optional variable settings

  • Specify a fall back option for your variable

    • If your question is not mandatory to fill out, you can still make your messages readable by providing a textual fall back option e.g. "Patient did not answer this question"

  • Add a transformation to your variable

    • Allows you to transform the data to a specific format - e.g. specify the date-format you which to use (DD/MM/YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY or YYYY/MM/DD)

    • Add a suffix or prefix to your value for interpretation reasons - e.g. the patient's weight value is {weight} "Kg"

    • (+) Add or (-) Subtract units of time (Years, Months, Weeks, Days, Hours, Minutes) against the selected data point - e.g. calculate the due date of a task

How to use in an integration context

  • Add a Baseline data point to your care flow: e.g. "Patient Chart Creation" - resembling the date a patient got registered at a clinical office (and into your EMR)

  • Add a Variable using this baseline data point as a source, by then applying a transformation to calculate the due date for "Review of the Patient Chart" (aka a task you can push to your EMR) as Patient Chart Creation + {1 day}

  • Add an API call action (REST or GraphQL) to insert the new Variable

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