by CHIP Directors and others.
Q1: Will CHIPwit run on Mac computers or just on PCs?
The software will run on any computer that runs MS Excel 2000 or later. A "Mac" version of the software will be available shortly after the PC version is released.
Q1a: Will the "right-click" shortcut menu feature work on the Mac?
The software provides context-sensitive shortcut menu options on the PC that are implemented using a double-click on the Mac. All functionality is equivalent between the PC and the Mac versions of the software, but implemented in the manner consistent with the two operating systems and platforms.
Q2: I hear this software replaces the paper forms. Does it require that participants have or use a computer? Will it allow paper forms to be used at all?
While CHIPwit does replace the multipart forms (lifestyle assessment and medication forms) with computer printed ones, it does not require participants to have or use a computer, or even to know the forms are different. (The only difference is they do not have to press hard enough to go through three layers, but just one.)
The forms to be filled out before HeartScreen are printed out as a 1-page single-layer form participants take home and fill out before coming to HeartScreen, just as they do with the paper forms. The completed forms are then used to record measures and enter data into the computer during and after HeartScreen.
After the data is entered into the computer, and after labs are entered (or imported electronically), lifestyle evaluation forms are printed for each participant and a copy is made for their physician. The form looks similar to the form they filled out but includes the lifestyle recommendations that were not shown on the HeartScreen assessment form. (medications are listed in that space to keep everything on one page so forms do not get separated and lost)
Another HeartScreen assessment form is printed for participants to complete before the second HeartScreen. It looks like the first one except that it now includes their name, address, medical history and medication list with a place for them to write in any changes. This form is used to record and enter measures during and after HeartScreen #2. After the data and labs are entered into the computer, a second lifestyle evaluation form is printed and a copy is made for their physician.
For those wanting to go paperless, the assessment forms can be produced as fillable PDF files and emailed to the participants. Alternatively, forms can be completed online at your webpage. The lifestyle evaluations can be produced as PDF files and emailed to participants and they can print or forward a copy for their physician. Few CHIP programs are ready for this level of automation, but it is now available.
Q3: What are the benefits to me as a CHIP Director?
This question is largely answered by viewing the lifestyle evaluation comparison slides. After conducting a couple of CHIP programs you learn that there is a push to get the evaluations all marked up and completed before night #4 after the labs are available. The process is non-trivial -- instructions for marking the forms consume many pages of the Director's Manual.
With CHIPwit all you have to do is enter the information from the HeartScreen forms into the computer and import the digital lab report (or manually enter the labs into the "Labs" worksheet) and click a button. All of the evaluations are immediately ready to print out with beautiful, crisp colors and clarity. Every copy looks link an original copy and no one has to struggle to read what the form says.
The advantages are even greater after the second HeartScreen when the software makes before and after comparisons for not only changes in the lab values, but also the changes in diet, exercise and stress. When participants see their blood work changes next to their lifestyle changes, the all-important message of the cause and effect relationship is reinforced.
Then it also automatically creates a PowerPoint with slides containing bar charts of the results stratified by baseline measure to make the changes more evident. AND, it exports the data to a summary workbook that calculates aggregate outcomes with stratified analyses, including calculating p-values. All of this happens "as if by magic." CHIPwit really does make you look and feel like "a Pro." And this makes a more positive impression on your participants, increasing the effectiveness of your program and providing immeasurable good will and PR.
Q4: How does this program lower the cost of my staff overhead?
While it is hard to lower the costs for volunteer staff, it is easy to reduce the workloads with well-designed automation. The most valuable staff is consumed marking up the lifestyle evaluations and making sure the medications are entered with the proper indications and dosing. CHIPwit has been designed by medical experts to automate these vital functions. The functions requiring more expensive staff are replaced by a simpler data entry function. Most folks find the amount of time required to enter data into CHIPwit is less than the time required to enter data into the existing CHIP Assistant. Staff costs are thus reduced in two ways -- by using less expensive staff, and by cutting data entry time. Training costs are also reduced since it is much easier to train someone to do data entry than to teach them to properly mark up the lifestyle evaluation forms.
Q5: Are there additional licensing rights that we need to address?
The Adventist CHIP Association plans to acquire licensing rights to use the "Basic version" of the software. This will eliminate any need for church CHIP programs to secure additonal licensing rights to use the software.
Use of the "Advanced version" of the software will require an additonal license. The Lifestyle Medicine Institute (developer and owner of the CHIP Program) plans to secure licensing rights for corporate and medical CHIP programs to use the full-featured "Advanced version." The software can also be licensed directly from the developer.
Q6: Have instructional materials already been created for execution of the software?
The software includes extensive built-in context-sensitive help information for every worksheet and form. An automated User Guide with over 350 lines of documentation with an automated word search make it easy to find the topic of interest. The User guide Table of Contents is hyperlinked to make it easy to quickly scroll to the needed chapters in the Guide. A Glossary includes key words and phrases to make it easy to understand terms that may be new to the user. And the Guide includes graphic illustrations that are viewed with a click of the mouse.
Probably the best instructional tools are the help notes provided for the computerized forms. Any field on the forms (i.e. cell in the worksheet) can be selected and the 'Help' button clicked to display a pop-up "post-it" note with information specifically about that field and what goes there. These pop-up notes can be edited by the user to make them more helpful. This software is truly one of the most user-friendly, well-documented programs you will find anywhere.
And, it is designed so that every step is outlined and explained as the "Auto-pilot" feature of the Control Panel guides execution as the CHIP program proceeds from HeartScreen to labs, to evals, to HeartScreen #2, etc. Perhaps the nicest thing about its simple design is that you can sit down with the software and just start using it. Since the computer forms look like the paper documents, there is a very low learning curve. Since non-data entry fields on the forms are locked to prevent unintended alterations to the forms, there is little danger of even doing any harm accidently.
Last but not least, a Tutorial will soon be available that works like the real thing (but without altering any files) so that a user can "play" with it to get the feel of how the software works. In fact, the software can teach you plenty about how to run a successful CHIP program.
Q7: Who addresses potential glitches to the program? Do you have an IT support team that can troubleshoot if our staff needs help?
The developer is the sole support person at present. There is little need for "IT support" since this software is built on the widely-used MS Excel spreadsheet software. If the entire set of macros were to fail, the worksheets could still be utilized by manually performing the various steps to fill out the forms and print them. For example, the automated mark-up of the lifestyle evaluation forms is done using spreadsheet formulas and is not dependent on the macros. While the macros automate almost every task, they do not prevent a user from using the spreadsheet in its "native" (manual) mode.
Support will be provided through the ACA when they start using CHIPwit. The developer will bring aboard qualified support personnel as the demand indicates. Well-designed software requires much less support than not-so-well-designed software. The developer is committed to suporting this product and will not let it fail because of poor or inadequate support.
Q8: How will this new software change the cost structure of our CHIP administrative overhead?
The answer to this question depends on whether you are running a CHIP program under the Adventist CHIP Association or not, and whether you utilize the Basic version or the Advanced version of the software. The Advanced version adds significant functionality and potential for revenue and cost savings, and thus it costs more to license. If your needs are met with the Basic version, costs will likely be little different from present costs. Contact ACA or LMI or the developer for licensing costs and provisions. The software is licensed for a single CHIP chapter, but volume licenses are available.
Q9: Can I get some of the "advanced" features without all of them? How about automatic importing of labs reports and 1-year follow-up?
The software only comes in the two configurations. The features included in the basic version were selected to provide all of the functionality in the existing CHIP operational package, plus the additional features that can be utilized fairly easily with the paper forms. Most components are modular but it is not practical to allow users to pick and choose features in a "cafeteria fashion." The two features you mention are features that would typically be utilized in a more professional application.
Keep in mind that all features included in the advanced version do not have to be utilized. You can license the advanced version and not utilize all features included, such as the progress notes and billing functions. Please feel free to inquire further by contacting the developer. (JHKelly@llu.edu)
Do you still have questions?
Email your questions to the developer and they will be answered promptly. Those of general interest will then be posted here.
