iNTERFACEWARE™ Inc.

Using Python to Copy the Patient ID

As you saw in the previous section, the PID field of the PatientObservation table is not mapped to a field in the OBR segment. This is because this field will contain the patient ID specified in the PID segment. Because this patient ID is also specified in the Patient table, your database will be able to use the patient ID as the key that associates the PatientObservation entries with the Patient to which they belong.

To assign the patient ID to the PID field, you need to create the following Python scripts:

• A Segment Inbound script that saves the Patient ID in a global variable named PatientID;
• A Table Inbound script that assigns this global variable to the PID field in the PatientObservation table.

To create the Segment Inbound script:

• In the Workspace, double-click the PID segment. The PID segment definition window appears.
• Locate Field 3 - Patient Identifier List. This is the field that contains the Patient ID.
• Click the ellipsis button in the Inbound Script column. The Editing Script window appears:

PID Segment Definition Window

• In the Editing Script window, add the following Python code:

PatientID = value

Next, create the Table Inbound script:

• Open the PatientObservation table.
• Locate the PID row and click the ellipsis button in the Inbound Script column.
• In the Editing Script window, add the following Python code:

value = PatientID

This assigns the Patient ID to the PID field in the PatientObservation table.