Importing Dose Reports

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Dosimetry Data

The list of Imported Dose Reports is accessed via the Imported button in the Dosimetry tab. The Dose Reports list is the default item displayed by Historion on start-up and provides data collection, records management and navigation capabilities central to using the Historion software;

Each row in the list of Dose Reports represents a collection or parcel of Dose Readings that has been reported to the Historion Customer by a Dosimetry Provider or has been obtained and imported as an output of self-monitoring technologies. A Dose Report is essentially a batch of Dose Readings that span a wearing period for occupationally exposed individuals within an organisation.

Filing Cabinets Analogy

The Dose Reports List is like contents of filing cabinets. There are five filters that allow the data to be compartmentalised and grouped. The filters for Dose Reports list appear at the bottom of the tab;

Unfilter Set Default Filter

The filtering and default options of the Dose Reports list support the filing cabinet analogy:

•Wearing Year represents which filing cabinet to go to

•Campus represents which drawer of the filing cabinet to open

•Centre represent a split section of a filing cabinet draw to go to

•Dose Reports themselves represent manila folders in the section of the draw to open

•Dose Readings represent Exposure Data on pages within each Dose Report manila folder

With no filters applied the Dose Reports list is like a stack of manila folders containing Dose Readings. Dose Report Type and Imported By represent colour-coded manila folders or labels in this analogy,

Filter Defaults and Un-filtering

The list of imported Dose Reports in Historion provides an important location for RSO’s to manage, check and navigate through imported exposure data. The Dose Reports Listing page is one of the most frequently used pages in Historion.

In large Historion implementations the numbers of Dose Reports (and correspondingly the numbers of Dose Readings) can be in the thousands. Very high data volumes cause delays for software, in general. This is due to hardware constraints and necessary limitations IT Departments place on server and database resources and network use, in shared environments.

To ensure the Dose Reports Listing page remains responsive, and a viable and easy way to navigate Dose Reports and Dose Readings, the Dose Reports Listing Page has five purpose-built filters and an optional system setting that can be used to enforce mandatory filtering of the list by users.

When a filter is first applied the [Default] button becomes visible to allow the filter to be retained as the filter that will be used, by default, thereafter. The [Unfilter] button is present whenever a filter is active and can be clicked to removed current filters then saved to clear the default.

The exception is where the use of default filters has been mandated as further outline below. Each filter dropdown box has a blank selection at the top of its list of items that can be selected so if default filters are mandated the full list can still be retrieved in a session, but a default filter is kept.

Special Filtering Technology

The Dose Reports list filters are special filters in the Historion Software. They don’t only filter a local list of data currently accessed, they instruct the Historion server to compartmentalise and retrieve discrete blocks of data from the Historion Database instead of loading all data over the network.

The filters interact with the Historion SQL server using performance improving functions known as Stored Procedures. The filters are User Specific, and all Users can have their own defaults. The design offers some noticeable network, server load and application performance improvements when filters are used. In extreme cases filters are necessary for acceptable system response times.

During 2018 a Historion Customer with over 17,000 Dose Reports and over 300,000 Dose Readings started using the software, resulting in important changes in the areas of load balancing and performance, which included the use of the Special Filters which can be mandated as outlined below.

In the above example if only one main filter was applied, such as Wearing Year (latest year as a filter from 25 years of monitoring) on average network traffic is reduced from 17,000 rows to 680 rows resulting in significant reduction in server and network demand and corresponding improvements in application responsiveness.

For the above application performance reasons, it is very helpful to have a Wearing Year filter, such as the current calendar year, as a minimum for default Dose Reports list filter.

Should I use a Default Dose Reports List Filter?

The Dose Readings list is the first tab that is displayed when Historion is opened and slow response of the list will make the software seem slow to start-up, hence the attention to this matter given here. If any of the following questions hold true, then a Dose Report List default filter is desirable;

Are Dose Report numbers appearing in the list causing the tab to be too slow in loading?

Do I prefer to see only Dose Reports from the current year as a default list on start-up?

Do I prefer to see only Dose Reports for a Campus I monitor, as a default list on start-up?

Do I prefer to see only Dose Reports for a Centre I monitor, as a default list on start-up?

Do I prefer to see only Dose Reports of a Dose Report Type, as a default list on start-up?

Do I prefer to see only Dose Reports that I have imported myself, as a default list on start-up?

In the preceding analogy using a default filter for the Wearing Year is like going to the filing cabinet for the current calendar year as a first check, each time, to find recent Dose Reports and Readings.

Mandating Dose Reports List Filters

Dose Reports list Special Filter defaults can be mandated if required. Mandatory default Dose Report list filters should be considered if there are more than a thousand Dose Reports or if network or server response times are slow enough to significantly impede the use of the software.

Dose Reports list filters are mandated in the Configuration tab of the System Settings tab accessed via the Settings icon in the Admin tab. The Setting is Require Dose Reports List Filter. The default value is 0 (do not require) and changing the value to 1 requires Users to always have a Dose Reports list filter present on next Login to Historion.

Role Assignments and Dose Report Visibility

A Dose Report will not be visible in the list for a User at all if the Role Assignments in the User Details tab for the User do not allow them access to any of the Centres within the Dose Report.

Note that the System Administrator Role Assignment overrides all other roles for a User and with this Role Assignment a User will be able to see all Dose Reports imported into the Historion Database.

Important Columns in the Dose Reports List

The following Dose Report Listing scenarios highlight some import columns in the Dose Reports list;

1.Sorting by the [No of Readings] column (click the column heading twice) will show which is the largest Dose Report, based on content volume, in the Dose Reports list.

2.Sorting by the [Duplicate Readings] column (click the column heading twice) will show which Dose Report has the most Duplicate Dose Readings, if any, in the Dose Reports list.

3.Sorting by the [Overlapping Readings] column (click the column heading twice) will show which Dose Report has the most Overlapping Dose Readings, if any, in the Dose Reports list.

4.Sorting by the [Dose Alerts Individual Reading] column (click the column heading twice) will show which Dose Report has the most Dose Readings of interest relative to Alert Thresholds. This will be important if trying to delete Dose Reports and the delete is being denied due to the presence of Dose Readings of interest that breach thresholds and are in Detected Alerts.

5.Sorting by the [Dose Report File Notes] column (click the column heading twice) will show which Dose Report has the most File Notes recorded against its constituent Dose Readings, if any, in the Dose Reports list. This will be important if trying to delete Dose Reports and the delete is being denied due to the presence of File Notes recorded against Dose Readings.

6.Sorting by the [ANRDR Doses] column (click the column heading twice) will show which Dose Report has the most Dose Readings that have been submitted to the National Dose Register. This will be important when working to ensure that Dosimetry Results are regularly reported to the National Dose Register and certain Dose Readings are specifically excluded in applicable scenarios.

The Web Service Reference

Dose Reports that have been transferred using the Online Transfer Utility will have a Web service Reference value in their Web Service Reference column. This is effectively a Dose Report batch number and is related to the loading of Dose Readings for the Web Service to host.

The Web Service reference column is hidden by default in Historion. The column is provided in case of need for troubleshooting purposes with assistance from Historion Support. The column can be made visible in the Dose Reports list tab with the Column Selector.

Web Service reference for Transferred Dose Reports

Empty Report File Path (Normal)

Note that Dose Report transferred online do not have a Dose Report File Path. This is normal and is due to these Dose Report not having been imported from a file stored in a folder locally and it is not indicative of a data error or transfer failure.

Dose Report CRC

The Dose Report CRC is a result derived from a custom formula that mathematically calculates a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) value based on the combined constituent Dose Readings within the Dose Report and details of the Dose Report itself.

The Dose Report CRC is used to avoid duplication of Dose Reports and to check and report whether imported Dose Report data has been modified from values originally imported, below.

Showing the File-based Dose Reports Recheck Utility

Historion includes a utility for re-checking file-based Dose Reports. When Dose Reports are imported the Dose Readings within the Dose Report are recorded in the Historion Database as Database Rows also known as Database Records or Database Transactions.

The Dose Report Import process calculates a CRC value for each Dose Reading and an aggregate CRC is derived for the Dose Report. The original external Dose Report File is also imported into the Historion database (known as a binary or blob object) and an exact copy of the file used is kept.

Some Historion Customers maintain a file-based system of original Dose Reports as official records alongside and in addition to the Historion Software. Over time individual files in network folders are at risk of being moved, renamed, deleted or accidentally or deliberately changed.

The File-based Dose Report Recheck utility provides an efficient tool for comparing imported Dose Report against their Original Files that reside outside of Historion. The utility also checks if the files are present in their specified paths and checks for any Dose Reading modifications since the Dose Report was imported.

The File-Based Recheck Utility is accessed by single right mouse clicking the Imported icon in the Dosimetry tab. This causes the Recheck icon to be displayed at the lower left corner of the Dose Reports listing tab;

Single Right mouse-click the Imported icon to show the Recheck icon

Recheck icon is hidden by design

Several important and valid considerations lead to the preference for the Recheck Utility being hidden by default, as outlined below. A future setting in Historion may be introduced to treat this as a locally set System Option however this is not a current priority and the feature will remain hidden until further notice.

Using the File-based Dose Reports Recheck Utility

After displaying the Recheck icon as described above clicking the Recheck icon results in the display of a confirmation dialogue and processing time warning. If [Yes] is selected the Utility runs and a progress meter appears at the lower centre of the Dose Reports listing tab;

The Recheck Process performs the following three checks for each Dose Report record in the list;

1.If a File Path is recorded for the Dose Report the Utility checks if the file is present at the path.

2.The Utility recalculates the stored Dose Report’s CRC based on its Dose Readings and compares this result to the CRC derived for the Dose Report when it was imported. Any variations are reported as Reading Changes.

3.The stored file in Historion (binary object) is compare against the external file to ensure an exact match between the external file and the originally imported Dose Report. Any variations are reported as File Changes.

The Utility dynamically adds three new columns at the front of each Dose Report and displays a result for each type of check against each Dose Report record;

Completion and Export

When the Utility has completed its processing Historion prompts the User to export the recheck results to a new Microsoft Excel worksheet for safe keeping of a point-in-time validation of the Dose Reports and associated external files;

The export prompt is displayed to encourage keeping the validation results as at a point in time and also because recheck result is not saved against the Dose Report by design as explained below.

Why are Recheck Utility Logs Not Saved in Historion?

The recheck results are not saved because they become out of date immediately, as the external Dose Report Files are not dynamically synchronised with Historion on an ongoing basis. The Dose Reports listing is also used for navigation so there is a preference to keep the list as uncluttered as possible.

The Utility’s results columns are removed when the User leaves or closes the Dose Reports listing. So, the Utility will need to be re-run in this event. This ensures that whenever the Utility’s results are to be viewed within Historion the results will be as current as possible. Snapshots of the comparison between external files and original reading CRCs can be kept by exporting to Excel as prompted.

Non-file Based Dose Reports (Transferred)

The Utility identifies Dose Reports which have been Transferred Online separately and does not try to evaluate the Dose Report records against the original source. This may be reviewed in future but has a number of technical, timing and suitability challenges identified.

Why is the Recheck Utility Hidden by Default?

The Recheck Utility is hidden in the Dose Reports list by default because it is not necessarily always suitable for execution. A proper understanding of the Recheck Utility is necessary in order to avoid incorrect interpretation of its results. Reading the next sections of the User Manual will help.

Paths Relative to Original Import – User Profiles

A problem with the Recheck Utility appears if the Network Drive Mappings for a User changes when compared to their setup at the time Dose Reports were originally imported. Relative network paths for Users (as well as access security etc.) are constantly changing, especially if they move locations and change workstations frequently.

This can cause the Recheck Utility to falsely report a file as missing and this is a key reason the Recheck Utility is hidden by default and is for controlled and informed use.

Paths Relative to Original Import – Distributed Implementation

A problem with the Recheck Utility appears when local Centre Administrators import their own Dose Reports from geographically dispersed locations and networks (such as a clustered hospital network within a health district or corporation) potentially resulting in file paths that are only relevant in their original context and workstation location.

If a central administrator attempts to scan for the file’s presence in a path that is no longer relevant in their respective location the utility will incorrectly report the file as missing.

This can cause the Recheck Utility to falsely report a file as missing and this is a key reason the Recheck Utility is hidden by default and is for controlled and informed used.

Filtering the Dose Reports List

The Recheck Utility only scans and produces results against the Dose Reports showing in the Dose Reports listing. This means that if filters have been applied, they are observed and the User is able to limit the Dose Report checking to a specific set, such as for a Centre or a Dose Report Type.

Filtering the Dose Reports list before running the Recheck Utility will assist in avoiding the variable import path related pitfalls of the Utility as Dose Reports can be checked insets that match their original import User’s network context and location.

Interpreting Recheck Utility Results

The following Recheck Utility result indicates one of each of the check failures types that can

No File Path..

This Check Result means that there is no Dose Report File Path recorded at all for the Original Dose Report in the Dose Report’s details tab. This is detected for Dose Reports which are not Transferred Dose Reports. The Dose Report has not been transferred and is does not have a Dose Report File Path so there is no way to tell where the Dose Report originated from. Incorrectly edited.

Transferred Dose Reports have their own Web Service Reference and for this reason the Recheck Utility ignores the File Path check for transferred Dose Reports and reports them as having been transferred without running the last check; the Original File binary comparison.

File Missing..

This Check Result means that there is a Dose Report File Path recorded but the file is not found at the path location that is specified. The file has been moved, deleted or renamed or the Dose Report File path has been incorrectly edited.

External File Differs

This Check Result means that the originally imported file, currently stored in the Historion database as a binary object, is not an exact match to the External File indicated at the Dose Report File Path. This means that the External File has been changed in some way, outside of Historion.

Readings Modified

This Check Result is independent of the other result types. The Reading Changes column reports the result of a comparison between the original Dose Report CRC and the Dose Report CRC based on its Dose Readings currently in the Historion Database. This Check Result is indicating that since the Dose Report in the Historion Database was first imported its Dose Readings have been modified;

One or more Dose Readings were deleted after being identified as Duplicate Readings.

One or more Dose Readings were deleted after being identified as Overlapping Readings.

Reading were modified outside of Historion, in the Historion Database (not recommended).