i've made a bunch of the scripts i use on my website available for public use - each script includes with in depth instructions on how to use
these tools are all intended to be highly customizable for the average HTML/CSS user, but they also come with templates too
ฅᨐฅ thank you dear @starbage for the promo art
ฅᨐฅ you're free to ask me for help (and email reports)
ᕱ⑅ᕱ more scripts to come
𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘ get the tools here
𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘ companion self hosting guide here
𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘ what is /how do i use this?
I finally finished my data analytics certificate course and my capstone project!! I did 3-4 months of work in just ONE. It was all actually really fun! I'm so proud of my capstone. I used a real business problem at my actual job: high duplicate medical record number (MRN) rates. I produced a realistic synthetic dataset in Python (because of course I can't use actual patient data) modeled after trends I see every day at work, analyzed the data in SQL, built an interactive dashboard in Power BI, and made a slide deck to present the whole thing. Everything came out looking really good if I say so myself!
I'm not done working though I need at least a couple more projects for my data analytics portfolio. For my next one I'm doing healthcare access in Kitsap county (hahahaha).
Duplicate medical record numbers (MRNs) create operational inefficiencies, increase duplicate investigation workload, and can contribute to patient safety risks when patient information becomes fragmented across multiple records.
This project demonstrates an end-to-end healthcare analytics workflow that uses Python, SQL, and Power BI to simulate realistic duplicate MRN investigations, analyze duplicate trends, and identify actionable process improvement opportunities.
Rather than serving as a static reporting solution, this project emphasizes continuous improvement by translating analytical findings into actionable operational recommendations.
Business Problem
Healthcare organizations routinely investigate duplicate medical record numbers created during patient registration. Duplicate records require manual investigation and merge activities, increasing operational workload while introducing patient safety risks.
The objective of this project was to identify the highest-impact opportunities for reducing duplicate MRNs through analysis of duplicate investigation data and development of an interactive quality improvement dashboard.
Project Objectives
Simulate realistic duplicate MRN investigations using synthetic healthcare data.
Analyze duplicate trends using SQL.
Build an executive Power BI dashboard.
Develop an interactive Opportunity Explorer for stakeholders.
Recommend evidence-based process improvements.
Technology Stack
Python – Generated a realistic synthetic duplicate MRN dataset using weighted probability simulation and healthcare business rules.
SQL – Analyzed duplicate investigations using business-driven queries, aggregations, and trend analysis.
Power BI – Developed executive and interactive dashboards to identify improvement opportunities.
Interactive Dashboard
Key Findings
Self-Schedule accounted for the highest proportion of duplicate investigations (34.5%).
Patient Name and Date of Birth represented the majority of contributing factors.
Registration data accuracy represented the greatest opportunity for reducing duplicate MRNs.
Recommended Process Improvements
Based on the analytical findings, five targeted process improvements were identified:
Improve Self-Schedule Registration
Collaborate with the Self-Schedule team to simplify parent registration workflows and clarify field instructions. This addresses the highest-volume source of duplicate MRNs.
Reinforce the Reliable Search Method
Reinforce use of the Reliable Search Method for both internal registration staff and external providers through refresher education, targeted email reminders, and distribution of the Reliable Search Method guide. This helps staff locate existing patient records before creating new MRNs, reducing preventable duplicate record creation.
Reinforce Registration Safety Tools
Reinforce use of safety tools such as STAR (Stop, Think, Act, Review) and Repeat-Back to ensure accurate chart registration and searches. These safety practices help improve registration data accuracy and reduce preventable duplicate MRN creation.
Provide Targeted Duplicate MRN Training
Require frequent duplicate creators to complete the Duplicate MRNs & Overlays learning course, providing targeted coaching based on performance.
Monitor Department Performance
Provide department leaders with a real-time dashboard and conduct quarterly quality improvement rounding to monitor duplicate trends, support accountability, and measure improvement over time.
Future Enhancements
Expand the project into a normalized relational SQL database.
Develop automated ETL pipelines for dashboard refreshes.
Add statistical trend analysis and anomaly detection.
Like I said, I don't have the bandwidth to do a daily art challenge this October, but that I'd do /some/ mxtxtober. And I HAD to do prompt 4: Wine Bottle 👀
Do not help them to build any more of this machine.
If you work with a database and are asked to alter the table structure to comply in advance for citizenship or gender categorizations it's really important to NOT do it.
"The governor is concerned about all this stuff they want us to update our record keeping so we store both gender AND biological sex."
"We need fields to store the country of origin of people's parents."
If you don't have the power to rebuff this yourself, ask for help. At minimum ask for help online anonymously.
Depending on your job you probably have in the past made compromises. Maybe to keep your job. Maybe to survive. This is a bright line. If you are asked to be the one to update the table don't let it be your fingers typing those changes.
If you can't just say "No I won't do that." Stall, run away, feign incompetence. Just don't let it happen.
I suspect this might be where the rubber hits the road first for us around here.
Nothing has changed. You do not have to do it. It is not even ordained.
I know someone who rebuffed such a request. Boss was apologetic "it's what the higher ups want, oh *I* think it's a lot of nonsense, but I don't want us to be out of step ... blah blah"
It was proposed to them in sheepish way. They said it would be a lot of work, not add anything of value, and most important they would not do it. It didn't come up again.
Fascism can be the work of zealots, but there are also many sheepish middle management helping hands who "don't even believe in this really"
There is a lively discussion of this on mastodon. (Mastodon is a very active social network where many people who left twitter have gone over the past few years to escape many problems of big centralized socail media. I like it a lot.) Posting a response to this post over there could be a way to get lots of help and ideas from tech people all over the world with similar values. If you do need help. Please say something.
Also, if you respond to this post I can pass what you say along if that would help too. People will respond and give you ideas to NOT do this should you be asked.
If you work with a database and are asked to alter the table structure to comply in advance for citizenship or gender categorizations it's r
I hate you "modern" teaching methods (using videos where a written summary that's easy to refer back to would do), I hate you AI assistants, I hate you DataCamp for deciding that the best way to teach people syntax is a 5 minute video with 5 seconds that are pertinent to whatever exercise I am failing to figure out. Techbro-ass shit.
Love you w3schools for being actually usable though.
Good morning. ☕ Last night, I took and passed my Database Management Applications exam, which was the last exam in my degree program. Here's a pic of some of my notes (which I intended to post the other night while I was actually studying).
I have until April 30 to complete my capstone project if I'm going to finish by the end of the term. (I do qualify for a one-month extension, though. I went ahead and requested it just in case I need a few extra days.)
Lots of research and writing will be happening over the next week. 📚
