Objective 1. Compilation of Trends and Plans in Protocol Management.

Software Survey. Update list of current protocols already in place in major Occ.Health packages. Compile list of types of protocols currently in place in several popuplar medical management packages. Discuss future development plans with vendors of both types of packages. Determine whether data is in an open architecture format, and if so, do they provide documentation defining how data is formatted. Find out if they would be interested in seeing the results of our work, potentially making use of it within their own package, or helping us set it up as an add on.

Needs Survey. Discussions with several major health insurance carriers, work comp insurers, and state agencies regarding case management and treatment rules that they currently have in place, and what are there plans for refinement. Also let them know what we are working on, and that it is our intent to make it available to work with any product in a Windows environment.

Data Format Standardization. Review the latest efforts to set up standardized formats for the storage and transfer of health and medical related data. Determine if major software vendors and insurance carriers have an plans for choosing a proposed data format.

HCFA Conference. Conference with HCFA personnel to determine which types of standards that they are looking into enforcing.

Literature Search. Literature Search for latest research on physician efforts to improve care standards and quality.

User Feedback. Feedback from users of systems surveyed on the effectiveness of the protocols that they have used, and the problems that have encountered trying to use them.