So far, one of our biggest headaches when developing custom encounter forms for various clients has been the 64-character limit. It is far too restrictive and, quite frankly, makes for results that we consider utterly unsatisfactory. While it’s OK for labeling parameters like SGOT or bilirubin or LDL, it is entirely unsuitable for questionnaires. For instance, we have to formulate the Geriatric Depression Scale for a client and we have to truncate all the questions. Who thought this limit was necessary, worthwhile or even useful in the first place?
Has anyone ever been able to bypass this? Are there any plans to ditch this limit that only serves to hobble OpenEMR professionals?
Go to layout in Administration.
Click Referral.
Go down to Reason. This field has the option to change amount of characters and a flexible size window to add text. (The same should be possible in Layout Based Visit Forms)
Or do you want to make the Labels more than 64 characters? This could be done somewhere in the Database. Administration Other Database. Be sure to make backup first. In case of wring button errors.
If you need something else to hold characters more than 64 let me know.
If you go to Demo version 4.1.1 before the general update you can find a sample with the solution I would suggest. Click a patient Click an encounter and make a Layout based not for that patient.)
Layout and available space/chars can be modified in Administration => Layout
(BTW also the place where you can see what parameters to use where)
P.S. Don’t ask me why I did not learn to type correct text! ;-))
While you can always alter the database, that should be last resort.
We find it easier and more flexible to define a list (eg. GDS) and use Checkbox or textbox list as the field type. That allows easy maintenance of the lists without having to touch the form.
You may also want to review a recent update that lets you use treat the description as label.