The HxGuide Ayu is a compilation of digital protocols built out as mindmaps. A mindmap is a graphical representation, like a flowchart, describing a logical process flow. It is a diagram which that is hierarchical and shows the relations between pieces of the whole, like a family tree. It allows you to make and take notes in a creative and logical way that helps to map your ideas and brain pathways.
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A complete protocol set will include the screening/ chief complaint protocols, past medical history protocol, family history protocol, and physical examinations protocol. |
Let’s create a digital hypertension screening protocol set using a mindmap.
Step 1: Download and open Freemind, a software used to build mindmaps. https://sourceforge.net/projects/freemind/
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Nodes: Nodes help connect various branches throughout the mindmap. The Root node is the base idea or concept. Any subnode of a given node is called a child node, and the given node, in turn, is the child’s parent. Sibling nodes are nodes on the same hierarchical level under the same parent node. Nodes higher than a given node in the same lineage are ancestors and those below it are descendants. |
Step 2: The single-node seen on a new file is the ‘Root node’. This is the main title of your protocol
eg. Hypertension screeningFever Protocol
Step 3: Create ‘Parent nodes’ from the root nodes. These are the first level of protocol questions
eg. [xx] Duration, Nature of fever, Timing, Severity, etc.
Step 4: Create ‘Child nodes’ from the parent node. These are the second level of protocol the possible choices for the first-level questions. Many such levels of questions further probing the choices can be nested under the root node.[INSERT IMAGE}each of the nodes.
In Nature of fever (parent node), child nodes would be All day Constant, Irregular, Periodic which are the sibling nodes of each other.
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Attributes: |
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Attributes define the characteristic of the node. Nodes can be given different attributes depending on the desired outcome. The attributes used in digital protocols are:
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Step 5: Allocate appropriate attributes to each node. Create attributes by right click>Edit Attributes>type the name of the attribute. Do not put extra characters like period or space.
display
2. display-xx: Replace xx by the initials of the language. Use Unicode format.
3. language
4. pop-up
5. input-type
Step 6: Create a Past Medical history and Family history protocols can be created following the previous steps.
Step 7: Create a Physical Examinations protocol following the previous steps. This protocol contains all the physical exams of all screening/chief complaint protocols. The second level of node is the location of the body where the physical exam is performed and the third level of node is what physical exam is performed.
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Advanced attributes:
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STEP 8: In order to trigger the right physical exams on the screening/chief complaint protocol, type the second and third level nodes of physical exam protocol in the content box in the exact way as it is written in the physical examination protocol. Add the attribute “perform-physical-exam” on the root node and add the value of the physical exam as “Eyes:Redness;Eyes:Swelling;Eyes:Redness”. This should correspond to a physical exam in the physical exam mind map.
STEP 9: Add your citations and references. Click on the root node and in the bottom section, you will see notes where you can add the source of the protocol.
Tips:
It is recommended to limit the level of questions to 3-4 nested levels of nodes to avoid confusion for the interface user.
Translations will have to be inserted manually for each protocol at each node.
Once an attribute is created, it shows in the drop-down. Select from the drop-down to avoid creating incorrect attributes.
The content in the display attribute must be as per the user literacy eg. easy to understand, everyday local words for a low-literacy health worker with basic medical training.
The content in the language attribute must be concise in medical lingo for the doctors.
The content of the pop-up attribute may get lengthy. It is recommended to type it first in a text editor and then pasted on Freemind
The Intelehealth Android App requires 4 kinds of digital protocols:
Chief Complaint eg. fever, menstrual pain, AND/OR Screening protocols like hypertension, diabetes
Past Medical History
Family History
Physical Exams