Hi my name is Gerard,
I am working on a presentation at the moment for the first Homeopathy unit of my Bachelor of Naturopathy. I am talking about the computerisation of Homeopathy.
I would greatly appreciate any answers to the following questions or any general feedback/information you have to offer.
*How have computers changed the way you practice Homeopathy?
*Do you conduct consultations online? If not how do you feel about online questionaires or consultations?
*Do you use any software such as "Radar" or other programs which facilitate structured homeopathic consultations and assist with diagnoses? If you do, which programs do you use and which do you find are the most efficient?
*Do you feel that computers and homeopathy are compatible?
*What do you see as the advantages or disadvantages of programs which contain repertory's of the MM?

Any response to these questions or other opinions on this topic, no matter how
brief, would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you sincerely
Gerard Elms

I think the Mat Meds on computer is a great idea, because of the SEARCH function. You know you have seen that symptom somewhere, but you just can't remember where....

But repertorisation on computer is hopeless. No practitioner I know has ever got a remedy that way. It can sometimes give you some ideas by bringing up remedies you might not have thought of, but the mathematical equation concept of prescribing is the furtherest off base you can ever ever get.

The problem is the computer cannot choose the rubrics for you. When you have 20 symptoms in a case , you should really only be looking at the most important ones. The computer repetory encourages you to "add up the totals", but this method rarely works.



------------------
David Kempson
Dip.Homoeopathic Medicine
Member A.H.A(Australia)

David, have you ever seen MacRepertory in use? It doesn't encourage adding up the "totals" but that is one of 9 strategies that you can select for analyzing.

The program can not choose the rubrics but neither can the books.

I have the Pro 5.6 with 16 Reps (19 are available), 24 MM's (35 are available)and Reference Works Lite. Reference works alone has over 400 books on it. You can search all of them at once for words or phrases in less than 30 seconds and graphs the results in any one of ten or more designs of your choice! You can do the same with the Reps. It is absolutely awesome. But it will not teach me homeopathy any more than another source would. It presents the information and how that is used is dependant on the abilities of the user. The better trained the user, the more results will be obtained. I have very limited abilities and still find it very useful. I do animal rescue work and have MacRep on a laptop, too, that I can take with me on emergency calls along with a remedy kit. This has been a wonderful convenience and gets me out the door in seconds.

I have heard David Warkentin talk about different homeopathic programs. He said he never uses the PC when with a patient because he still likes the "feel" of the real book in his lap and it isn't as disconcerting to the patient. He, like most people still love to touch and hold the real books! The programs are just a tool, however magnificent. I don't know much about the other programs available but this MacRep is amazing. Wish I was intelligent enough to use it to one third of it's capacity!

I have seen a few computer reps, but I guess what I meant to say is that they have the same problems as paper Reps.But when people use them, because of the ease of including all the symptoms instead of choosing a few important ones, as you must when having to flip through the pages and lists yourself, I think it misleads people into adding up the highest totals.

I say that is a problem mainly for newer homoeopaths. One of the greatest obstacles in the first years is overcoming that feeling that if you could just add up enough symptoms , you will get the right answer. With some experience and success under your belt, a homoeopath usually realises that doesn't work. Has anyone had to deal with the guilt of not doing it "properly", writing down 10-20 symptoms, going through the rep, adding up each one ?

I saw Jan Scholten using Reference Works at a seminar to choose small remedies, and I was very impressed. I will probably get this program.



------------------
David Kempson
Dip.Homoeopathic Medicine
Member A.H.A(Australia)

Gerard, In case you haven't seen it already Chris Kurz wrote a Comparative Review of CARA, RADAR and MACREP in 1997. Go to http://www.lightforce.com/Homeopathy.../Software.html
I've been using Radar for about 18 months in practice and it's a tool I wouldn't want to be without now. It wasn't always that way because I guess I have a love/hate relationships with computers in general.
(1) The most obvious way it's changed the way I practice is that it demands of me to be more precise in elucidating symptoms from patients and converting them into the language of the repertory. I pay a lot more attention to modalities now. And I tend to look at a broader range of remedies as well. However, I own the software, it doesn't own me. And fundamentally, my perceptions of the state the patient is in determine the direction the repertorization will take. (When it agrees with me, I feel very clever for a couple of seconds!)
(2) I've done a few online consultations but only to suggest remedies. I don't like the concept. I feel the same way about telephone consultations. Personally, I need to see and get the feel of the situation.
(3) I've only used Radar, so can't make a comparison. My Encyclopaedia Homeopathica (Materia Medica) needs to be expanded to get the full use of the search function.
(4) I think as computers become more passe, patients regard them as part of the office furniture. Most GP's use them in the consultation room. I don't start keying in any info until I've been talking with them for a while and they seem interested to see what's on the screen.
(5) The advantages for me are that they are brilliant study tools. The disadvantages are that you can be going along just fine, then wham, where are those #$@$#!! patient files??Whoever thought that computers saved you time are badly mistaken.
Hope this helps.

------------------
Chris Gillen
Member AHA (Australia)

Gerard, In case you haven't seen it already Chris Kurz wrote a Comparative Review of CARA, RADAR and MACREP in 1997. Go to http://www.lightforce.com/Homeopathy.../Software.html
I've been using Radar for about 18 months in practice and it's a tool I wouldn't want to be without now. It wasn't always that way because I guess I have a love/hate relationships with computers in general.
(1) The most obvious way it's changed the way I practice is that it demands of me to be more precise in elucidating symptoms from patients and converting them into the language of the repertory. I pay a lot more attention to modalities now. And I tend to look at a broader range of remedies as well. However, I own the software, it doesn't own me. And fundamentally, my perceptions of the state the patient is in determine the direction the repertorization will take. (When it agrees with me, I feel very clever for a couple of seconds!)
(2) I've done a few online consultations but only to suggest remedies. I don't like the concept. I feel the same way about telephone consultations. Personally, I need to see and get the feel of the situation.
(3) I've only used Radar, so can't make a comparison. My Encyclopaedia Homeopathica (Materia Medica) needs to be expanded to get the full use of the search function.
(4) I think as computers become more passe, patients regard them as part of the office furniture. Most GP's use them in the consultation room. I don't start keying in any info until I've been talking with them for a while and they seem interested to see what's on the screen.
(5) The advantages for me are that they are brilliant study tools. The disadvantages are that you can be going along just fine, then wham, where are those #$@$#!! patient files??Whoever thought that computers saved you time are badly mistaken.
Hope this helps.

------------------
Chris Gillen
Member AHA (Australia)

I use Cara and am perfectly happy with it. I think you get to love the one you use whatever it is.
Talking about repping I do it a weird way. As I type up my cases up I take any symptom that I feel is indicative of the patient and often end up with loads. I then go through them and move the most important ones nto another chart. i.e. I refine my original rubric taken. Sometimes I do a chart just on the mentals, or maybe of the physicals. This is easy to do in cara. Every case is different. I certainly do not take the remedy that comes up with the highest points. I think about all the top remedies and see if any fit the case by reading them up in various MM. Only then do I decide.
It is said that if you rep enough symptoms Sulphur will always come up top, but if you use Murphy it will be Carc!!

When I have difficult coming up with a remedy I am happy with I go to Scholten.

Gerald,

You might like to post your queries at the www.homeoint.org (English version) site as well. Many people there whose opinion might be useful to you, too.

In response to your questions:

I have never used computers to practice homoeopathy, except to type up Pt notes for the sake of neatness.

I don't think I will ever conduct consultations on-line.

I don't use any of the software (I still prefer books though I don't know why).

I DO feel homoeopathy and computers are compatible but ONLY if you have a well-trained and experienced homoeopath using the software.

Have no clue about the last question.

Hope this helps you.

[This message has been edited by Simone (edited 12 March 2001).]

Computer repertories or materia medicas come at the very end of the scale in Homoeopathy. Proper case taking is the key in Homoeopathy which computers have no ability to do." A proper case taken is half the battle won".

Dear all,
thank you so much for your replies.
The sentiment in majority, i was surprised to find, is rather positive.
This is great, as today we need to use these fantastic tools which have been given to us in a way which helps us. Im so glad we are all beginning to appreciate the usefullness of computers as im sure in time they will become an even more of integral part of our lives.
Every one of your replies has helped me to formulate and find direction for my presentation on this cotroversial and sensitive issue.
Thank you once again for the criticisms, recommendations and general feedback which have been posted.
Cheers,
Gerard