A C+ + class library foundation for developing an electronic medical record

The basic features that gave the M (or Mumps, as it originally called) language its initial popularity are still important to many programming applications, especially those involving the health care domain. To date, however, efforts to change the language have been predicated on the axiom that the existing structure must be preserved in order to accommodate legacy applications. To many, it is becoming clear that the 1960s' minicomputer induced interpreter syntax underlying M is inadequate and incapable of further evolution. In this paper, we demonstrate an alternative that preserves those features that many find to be the essence of M in a manner that is transportable to other language environments and not directly linked to any underlying operating system. This article describes a set of operating system independent C + + class libraries, based on M, designed to enhance the C + + programming environment with features that facilitate health care record applications development. These extensions allow the user to manage hierarchical data base problems, such as those typical in the health care domain, at a level of abstraction consistent with many information theoretic models commonly in use. Examples are given from a pilot implementation of the libraries to demonstrate a simple health care record application.