using array merge into a foreach loop

Question

I need to merge a new array of alternative information into the loop if they have the alternative information in their profile.

Here's my loop:

foreach ($doctor->getVars() as $k => $v)
    {
    $data['doctor_'. $k] = $v;
    }

foreach ($patient->get_data() as $k=>$v)
    {
    if (is_string($v) || is_numeric($v))
        $data["patient_" . $k] = strtoupper($v);
    } 

Here's the $data var_dump:

Array
(
    [employee] => person
    [date] => 05/08/2013
    [datetime] => 05/08/2013 9:41:15 AM
    [department] => stuff
    [employee_ext] => 7457
    [employee_email] => 
    [barcode] => *NZS01*
    [doctor_df_code] => 09HQ
    [doctor_npi] => 1111111111
    [doctor_dea] => B4574
    [doctor_upin] => 
    [doctor_license] => 
    [doctor_phone] => [phone]
    [doctor_fax] => [phone]
    [doctor_fname] => UNDEFINED
    [doctor_lname] => UNDEFINED
    [doctor_title] => 
    [doctor_intake_rx_caller_id] => 
    [doctor_costco_rx_caller_id] => 
    [doctor_reorder_rx_caller_id] => 
    [doctor_address1] => 24 CABELL st
    [doctor_address2] => SUITE 10
    [doctor_city] => places
    [doctor_state] => CA
    [doctor_zip] => 91111
    [doctor_active_events] => 
    [doctor_dont_call] => 0
    [doctor_dont_fax] => 1
)

I need to merge the below array into the above array. Here's the print var for the function addr($dfcode):

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [CODE_] => 09HQ
            [doctor_address1] => alternate addy
            [doctor_address2] => 45854
            [doctor_city] => different city
            [doctor_state] => CA
            [doctor_zip] => 963545
            [doctor_phone] => [phone]
            [doctor_fax] => [phone]
        )

)

I'm new to array merge and I'm assuming right after the $data['doctor_'. $k] = $v i could list out the new function and the fields i want to merge in particular?

syntax is what i'm not sure on:

$data['doctor_'. $k] . array_merge(addr($dfcode))['doctor_address1'] = $v;

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Answer 1

The general formula for merging two arrays is as follows (merging $array_m into $array_o):

foreach($array_m as $key=>$value){ 
    $array_o[$key] = $value;
}

$array_o would now contain all of the elements of $array_m

EDIT: I just noticed in your post that you seem to want to use the array_merge function. You could also do the following:

$array_o = array_merge($array_o, array_m);