Applying advanced Excel techniques in a health care setting

Session
Tools and techniques

Author
Brent Sogaard
Management Engineer
HCA North Texas

Description
The aim of this presentation is to give the audience a brief introduction to Visual Basic for Applications (Macros). I will cover what macros are, how they can help you and your hospital, and how you can learn to write your own and use them. Several real world examples will be presented.

Abstract
As management engineers, we are always looking to find more efficient and better ways for the hospital to operate. At times, we forget that we can also make ourselves much more efficient while providing tools to help others more easily. One way to do this is through the use of Visual Basic for Applications, or Macros, in Excel.

This presentation will include the basics of macros and most importantly, give the audience something that they can take home and immediately apply. It is not meant to cover eveything in 60 minutes but instead provide a foundation from which they can grow and expand their knowledge, if they choose to do so. Being self-educated in this area, I will go over the best way to learn and use macros.

A good portion of the presentation will be spent covering the actual Excel-based tools I have developed using the simple macros that I present. I will cover examples from both the ER and OR. These tools have been used in several hospitals throughout the company with much success because of their ease of use due to the macros.