I am constantly entering new patients into my database. Is there a way I can create a FIND form without having the find section be directly on the form that I want to look for the patient's records?"
Perhaps you might want to rethink how you set up the Access app so that the work flow process is "smoother".
I created an Access App for a cardiogly office where the database was based on patients. Patient clinic visits were tied to the patient. The patients table had a one to many relationship to the patient clinic visits table.
The main form used TABS to facilitate getting at patients and entering patient clinic visit data. On the PATIENT'S TAB there is a list box that displayed all patients in alphabetical order by default. It also had a set of command buttons that corresponded to the alphabet. Clicking on the "A" command button caused only patient's who's last name started with "A" to be displayed, in alphabetical order in the list box. Clikcing on th e"B" command button cause only patients whose last name started with B, etc. That made looking up a patient easier. I also had two text boxes, one for the patient's last name and one for the patient's first name. One could enter only the last name and then click on the FIND PATIENT command button which would then cause a list of all patients with that last name to be displayed in the list box. Then one could click on a patient in that list and the patient would be the currently selected patient. If a first name was also entered and the command button was clicked on the specific patient's name would be displayed in the list box. If no patient existed with that name the list box was empty. On the main form was also a command button labeled ADD NEW PATIENT. Clicking on that command button would open up a pop-up form where one could enter a new patient's name and demographic information. When the new patient's data was saved the pop-up form closed and the new patient was the only name displayed in the patients list box on the main form.
Once a patient was selected one could click on the CLINIC VISIT TAB on the main form to go to the clinic visit section where clinic visit information for that patient could be entered.
The clinicans found that organization and "work flow" of the Access app useful, easy to learn, and more importantly, to use.
You can see a picture of the Access program's main form here:
. There is no advertising on that web page. Only a picture of how I organized my Access app for the patient clinic visit medical records needs of that cardiology office.
Also, you might find it useful to look at the sample NORTHWINDS Access app and database that comes with Access. Looking at how it is setup and how it does things might be helpfull as you progress from an Access newbee to an Access geru. ;>)
Best regards,
