Overview
MedicalDirector periodically releases updates to content for MedicalDirector Clinical. Such content includes;
o Consumer Medicines Information
o Lab Tests (available to the Investigations Requests module)
o Letter Writer templates (supplied by MedicalDirector)
o MDref (the medications database)
o NPS Radar
o Product Information
o Travel Medicine
o Other ancillary files and documentation
These updates are bundled together and made available for download as a single file, which is then installed on your computers running MedicalDirector Clinical.
Prior to version 3.15.3 of Clinical, it was a requirement that the MDref update was installed manually on each computer running Clinical.
As from version 3.15.3 however, you are only required to install the update to your server computer; content updates are copied and installed automatically from your server to your workstation, as required, when a user does any of the following;
o Logs on to Clinical.
o Opens a patient's record.
o Accesses Product Information, Consumer Medicines Information, or NPS Radar.
o Accesses the Pathology, Cytology, or X-ray Request modules.
Note also that the ability for you to apply updated MDref packages manually is still available, should you choose to deploy them in this manner.
MDref updates are deployed to your MedicalDirector Clinical computer(s) as follows;
1. An MDref package update is released by MedicalDirector. This file is made available to you;
o As a download from the MedicalDirector web site, and
o As a download using the MedicalDirector Automatic Update utility, installed with MedicalDirector Clinical.
As from version 3.15.3, MedicalDirector Automatic Update (previously known as HCN Automatic Update) allows you to schedule and run a ‘silent’ MDref download/installation to your Server computer i.e. you simply indicate when you want the download-and-update process to occur, and as updates become available they will be downloaded to your server computer, and installed automatically.
2. The MDref update is installed on your server computer. This can either be done manually (if you downloaded the package yourself), or via the Automatic Update utility.
Once the MDref package has been installed on your server computer, the updated MDref medications database is immediately available to users running Clinical on their workstations. The remaining updated content is transferred to your workstation computer(s), and installed automatically, as required.
Content Update Utility
A Content Update Utility (installed with Clinical 3.15.3) is also available. This utility serves two basic purposes;
o When accessed on your server, it displays a list of the workstations on your network, and whether they require updating.
o When accessed on your workstation, it indicates if any updates are available on the server, and allows you to force an update of the MDref package content to the workstation.
Stage 1 – Configuring Automatic Updates on the Server
The following information describes the process for configuring your server computer such that it detects, downloads, and installs MDref package updates automatically. This process will not interrupt users working in Clinical on their workstation.
Important Note: For MDref to be updated automatically, the following conditions apply;
o A user must be logged into your Server computer; MedicalDirector Automatic Update requires a desktop environment in which to run.
o MedicalDirector Automatic Update must be running on the Server computer.
1a – Configuring the Automatic Update Utility
This step involves telling your server computer;
o Whether or not you wish it to check for MDref updates.
o How often you wish the check to occur.
o When you want the download and (optional) installation to occur.
o Whether or not you want the update to install automatically.
On your Server Computer:
1. Locate and right-click the MedicalDirector Automatic Update icon 
in your Windows System Tray.
If the MedicalDirector Automatic Update is not active, it is available via Start > All Programs > MedicalDirector > Automatic Update > Automatic Update.
2. Select Preferences from the menu that appears. The Preferences window appears.
3. Tick the Schedule check box (Check for updates every…), and indicate how often you wish to automatically check for updates (Month, Week, Day, Hour).
4. Choose when to download and install available MDref updates; as soon as they become available, or at a pre-determined time (and set the time if you select this option).
5. The Applications to Update section lists the installed applications that can be updated. Indicate whether you want MedicalDirector Automatic Update to auto-check for updates to MDref and whether you want the update to auto-install, by ticking the associated checkbox(es).
6. Click 
to locate and select a location on your Server to save the downloaded file(s) to. Note that this cannot be a shared location (e.g. \\My_Shared_Folder), or any network resource.
7. Click 
to save your settings.
To view a history of updates, right-click the MedicalDirector Automatic Update icon and select History.
1b – Configuring the Content Update Server Utility
The Content Update Utility allows you to;
o See a list of workstations on your network, and whether they require updating.
o Indicate whether you will allow workstation computers to download MDref package content to them (as required) from your server.
o Indicate whether you will allow workstation computer to background process MDref package content (explained in the table following).
1. Locate and double-click the MedicalDirector Maintenance icon 
on your desktop. The MedicalDirector Maintenance window appears.
2. Select the Database Tasks > MedicalDirector Clinical menu item.
3. Double-click the Content Update icon.
If this is the first time you have tried to run the Content Update Utility during this session of working in MedicalDirector Maintenance, you will be prompted to select a Configuration, and enter your Username and Password.
4. The Content Update Server Utility appears. This window displays computers on your network that either;
o Require an update of Clinical content, as flagged with the 
icon, or
o Do not require an update of Clinical content, as flagged with the 
icon.
5. Use the following table to configure the Content Update Server Utility to your needs
|
Features of the Content Update Server Utility |
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|
|
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Settings menu > Disable Background Processing |
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Show Hidden Computers check box |
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Stage 2 – Installing MDref Updates on the Workstation
2a – Automatic Updates
Medications Data: Provided the MDref update has been installed to your server computer, the updated medications database will automatically be available to all workstation computers running Clinical. No further action is required on the part of the user.
Other Content: Other content is updated automatically, as required. For example, if a user accesses Product Information on their workstation, Clinical will perform a check to determine if an update to Product Information is available on the server, and if one is available it will be transferred to the workstation and installed automatically – no further action on behalf of the user is required. The user will be prompted of this process, as shown in the following example:
2b – Manual Updates
Ideally, it should not be necessary for you to perform a manual update of MDref content to your workstation computer(s); this content can be updated automatically, as explained above. However, if you wish to perform a manual update regardless, the facility for you to do so is provided.
Prior to 3.15.3 you could perform manual update by simply downloading the MDref update file to your workstation, navigating to it via Windows Explorer, and double-clicking the .exe file. You can still do this if you choose to. Alternatively, you can use the Content Update utility, as explained following.
On your Workstation Computer(s):
1. Locate and double-click the MedicalDirector Maintenance icon on your desktop. The MedicalDirector Maintenance window appears.
2. Select the Database Tasks > MedicalDirector Clinical menu item.
3. Double-click the Content Update icon.
If this is the first time you have tried to run the Content Update Utility during this session of working in MedicalDirector Maintenance, you will be prompted to select a Configuration, and enter your Username and Password.
4. The Content Update Utility appears. If updates are available, you will be notified on this window, as shown in the example below.
5. Click 
to initiate the update to your workstation computer. The update will commence.
6. After the updates have finished installing, the Content Update Utility window refreshes accordingly. Note that from this widow you can now re-update content if required by clicking the associated button. This may be necessary if for example you accidently delete the related content from your workstation computer.
7. Click 
to close the utility.