Good Morning!

I work at Webmedx, and I use the Enterprise platform there. We do not transcribe in a Word-based platform that I know about. I saw Ed's answer to someone about making a paragraph of medications into a list with numbers for Word, and I am hoping that someone can help me create a SH command (an IT command would work too, as I use both programs) to be able to format the paragraph into a numbered list so that when the doctor dictates either Next number or number next, I can just hit a few keystrokes and watch it go..

The way the list comes into my ASR/VR screen is like this:

MEDICATIONS: 1. Effexor XR, 225 mg p.o., daily. Next. Number. Depakote, 500 mg p.o. daily, Next. Number, Depakote, 1500 mg, p.o. q.h.s., Next. Number, Risperdal, 4 mg p.o. q.h.s. Next. Number, Klonopin, 0.5 mg p.o. B.i.d., Next. Number, Remeron, 15 mg, p.o. q.h.s.

The way the list needs to look is like this:

MEDICATIONS
1. Effexor XR 225 mg p.o. daily.
2. Depakote 500 mg p.o. daily.
3. Depakote 1500 mg p.o. at bedtime.
4. Risperdal 4 mg p.o. at bedtime.
5. Klonopin 0.5 mg p.o. b.i.d.
6. Remeron 15 mg p.o. at bedtime.

I have the command for converting p.o. q.h.s. into p.o. at bedtime.

What I am trying to do is execute a command in SH that will remove the Next. Number, or Number. Next from the paragraph, hopefully insert the corresponding number in, and put 2 spaces between the period behind the number and capitalize the first letter of each medication.

Right now, what I am doing seems to be a HUGE waste of time. I am copying the medication paragraph (or any such paragraph with those words in it) into Notepad, then I am using the find/replace function to find the Next number or number next, and then I am removing all of them from the paragraph. Then I am copying that back into the document, and numbering the list from there. This is really time consuming, and I am hoping that someone on this list will be able to give me an idea on how I can automate the whole thing, either with SH or with AHK so that I can cut down on how much time it takes to do this particular function of editing.

Of course, I would like to be able to adapt this entry so that it works for any place in the document that the doctor/NP, etc.. is saying Next number or number next, like the assessment/plan, diagnoses, etc..

Thanks so much for your help!

Hi Linda, how are you?

This is very challening! Especially as it would differ from instance to instance, I don't see this happening with SH or IT commands. I think AHK is the way to go. In fact, Clipboard Search & Replace is pretty neat, in my opinion. You copy text into the clipboard, and then change it as needed before pasting back. I haven't gotten it to do all of your requirements, but I think you'd agree it's a big improvement from what you are doing now. I also saw over at the AHK forums a script for turning something in list form, but not numbered, into a numbered list. I am sure that a good script could be had for you, but it's just too advanced for me.

Anyway, I tried this out on your paragraph. (I assume you have AHK installed - if not, this could be converted to an .exe file, I'm sure). After you download it to your Desktop, you can drag it down to your taskbar to make it easy to click on without having to go to your Desktop. (Or, add a hot key to run it). So I copied your paragraph to the clipboard, then clicked on the script. I put in Next. Number. in Find What. Then I hit Replace. Without closing the dialog box I went back to Find What and changed the period after Number to a comma, then hit Replace. Then I closed the dialog box, deleted the original paragraph, and pasted. No more Next. Number. anywhere. Then, doing an Enter to start your list with the second item, you can go from there. You should then be able to go to end of each sentence easily with Shift + Left click to select to end of sentence, then use your right arrow key to de-select and hit Enter so you get the next number. I would of course suggest keyboard shortcuts for same but, with all those p.o. q.h.s. entries, I don't think that would work out so well. Anyway, writing this takes tons more time than doing it. I think it could be useful for you. The app also has regular expression patterns to use, and I know that could be totally cool but I'd have to play with it a lot. Another cool thing, you can preview what it will look like before pasting.

I also think it could be useful for lots of editing tasks, so I think I'll have to post about this one in the AHK forum. If the author also adds a favorites feature as suggested in the AHK forum thread, that would be super great. Then you wouldn't have to type Number. Next. each time that came up! I like this for its simplicity, though. Simple, hardly anything to look at, but effective and fast. Cool!

Have I mentioned lately that I just LOVE you, Harrie? I can't test this right now, as I have to go to pick up a friend before work today; however, I will play with it over the weekend and see how it does. I do have AHK installed and I have several different scripts for it. I always forget to activate them before I start work, which of course does little good, LOL..

I appreciate your help with my dilemna. There has to be someone on this board or beyond PT that can automate a script like this for AHK. I know it is complicated, but it takes so freakin long to do it the way that I am doing it. SO, I will try the Clipboard script you mentioned and let you know.. One of these days, I will take the time to learn AHK as well. I swear.. I need to learn so many things!

Thanks again, Harrie! I will also answer the other part of your post when I get back.

You're welcome, Linda. I'll look forward to hearing from you after the weekend. I need to learn so many things, too!