Mac Repertory – A computerized tool for homeopathy’s future

Review by Dr Sanhoo Balachandran BHMS,MD(Hom)

P A  David Kent Warkentin, Dra Kim Elesabath.Sikorski Orozco 

Published in-OMHI INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS August 1990
International Homeopathic medical association

Introduction 
To understand the sprit of this repertory one should go back to late 80, a time when the computer application is adopted to Homeopathy, especially in repertorising essential cases. At that time different individual and organizational efforts where put to update and programming repertoisation to a better and friendly corner, and MAC Repertory is a successful product of such efforts.

New solutions Kents repertory is an incredible book, but it is seldom used to its full extent because of the time it takes for a full repertorisation and are forced to use in a superficial and mechanical way.

In the last few years we have seen the appearance of a tool that can change the way the we use the repertory, a tool that can make the repertorisation quick, easy and even enjoyable.

The computer Homoeopaths where quick to recognize that computers could be a great asset to there practice by helping them to take full advantage of the repertory and at the same time make there e office more efficient.

Computers can help as to be better practitioners They offer incredible opportunities, not only to do what we do better, but expand homoeopathic practice in ways that we have not released yet.

Of course there are potential problems with any new advances. Physicians may base their prescriptions solely on the advice of the computer, but computers are only as smart as the information that they are given. They will never being replaced the abilities of a well-trained Homoeopath who is grounded in philosophy, case taking, analysis and materia medica.

As long as we keep in mind that the computers are powerful tools, they have the potential to dramatically enhance classical Homoeopathy. The latest technology In thinking of an appropriate computer system for a Homoeopathic practice, we released that it would have to be fast enough that it could be used during the interview, small enough that it will be unobtrusive on the desk. Revolutionary enough that it will not be obsolete with in few years and easy enough to learn that Homeopath could concentrate on the patient rather than on the computer.

We found all the qualities in Apple Macintosh Computer. Unlike previous computer system that forced people to adapt to the computer, the Macintosh was designed to have a more intuitive interface. Believing that “pictures are worth a thousand words” the designers use graphics and symbols wherever it was possible. Then they developed a devise called “Mouse” a small rolling box which controls a pointer that can be seen on the screen, To action one of the pictures you simply move the pointer to it and click the button on the mouse.

The dream unfolds, set out to create the first computer program that would operate the way that homeopaths acutely work. This meant that new program should be designed by a classical Homoeopath not by computer programmers. It should be fast, enjoyable and familiar feeling; it should include Kent’s repertory with all its contemptory addictions and have the ability to add new additions. It should be able to evaluate the case from a variety of viewpoints. But it would have to do more than just repertories. It would have to allow sophisticated rtesearh into the repertory, include a practical keynote materia medica that would be used to confirm the prescription and encourage the preservation and analysis of cured cases for the future. And it would have able to incorporate suggestion from he Homoeopathic community.

After 3 yrs of development the Mac Repertory is successfully launched.

Mac Repertory
It takes full advantage of graphics and speed of Macintosh, created a screen lay out displaying pictures of objects, you can browse through a repertory on the screen. The remedies are shown in Italics, bold and bold Italics. The sections are shown in pictures so that they can be selected quickly. The repertory is designed to be used quickly and easily.

Repertory studies 
The system helps you to study the repertory in ways. You can serrate the entire repertory for every incidence of the remedy, or only selectively like bold letters remedies key notes or compare Upto six remedies in a section. You can even find all of the rubrics that are common in several remedies. Moreover one can find every incidence of the word “chagrin” through out the repertory in seconds. 50000 synonyms are given which will help one in finding a specific rubric very easily.
Along with Kents repertory, other repertories like Boger-Bon-Hausen, Beoricke, Knerr, Allen’s repertory, Complete repertory and Eizayaga’s Algorithms. You can add symptoms from any of these repertories together.

Shared Experience
With this particular system one can save the rubrics, eliminations, analysis, graphs search, and the patients words in one file. One can save the address, name, prescription and response. You can search to cases for any facts that have being saved.

Flexibility
Using the repertory should not be a mechanical process. The Homoeopath should bring his or her unique experiences, skill, and training bear on analysis. It offers a wide Varity of analysis strategies for a wide variety of cases and clinical styles.

For example, analysis the case in standard fashion and list the result by the totality of number of rubrics. Remove the polychrest, or to emphasize the smaller remedies or give more importance to keynotes or to emphasize on particular symptoms. Altogether 40 analysis strategies are there.

In addition, you can perform instant elimination repertoisation, cross 2 or more remedies and see remedies common to both. Crete no synthetic rubrics either by combining rubrics or creating your own. Relationship of remedies is also available. Moreover confirmatory Materia medicas are also available. You can add your own experiences and experiences of others.

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