Patients

Description

Use the Patients page to access the maintenance actions you may perform on patient records, including deleting or inactivating a patient record and merging patient files. Select the tab that corresponds to the task you wish to perform.

• Merge Tab: Use the Merge tab to move testing records from one patient file to another, which allows you to correct errors in the assignment of orders to patients or to combine testing records into a single file when duplicate patient files have been created. When you merge the files, the system reassigns all orders and insurance information to the second patient you select; however, it does not change the demographic information of the second patient.
• Delete/Inactivate Tab: Use the Delete/Inactivate tab to search for a patient and, depending on the status of orders for that patient, either delete or inactivate the patient. You may also reactivate an inactive patient. Note that you cannot delete patients for whom one or more orders have been placed.
• Change Practice Tab: Use the Change Practice tab to reassign a patient to a different practice. When you reassign a patient, the system adds a non-reportable patient comment that states the practice was changed. If the patient uses practice-level insurance, the system copies the information for the new practice during the reassignment.
• Link Tab: Use the Link tab to associate the records of patients in different practices. This is typically used in cases where one patient has records for multiple practices, and you wish to associate the patient records, without deleting or merging records, to indicate they belong to the same person.

Access

• Select the Administration menu button, select the Manage button, and then select the Patients submenu link. You must have the necessary security permissions to access the Administration menu button. When you select the Administration menu button, the system opens the main Administration menu, which contains administrative menu buttons, including the Manage menu. To return to the main menu for the system, select the Tasks menu button.

Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs

1. Select the Delete/Inactivate tab to delete or inactivate patient records.
2. Select the Merge tab to move testing records from one patient file to another.
3. Select the Change Practice tab to reassign a patient to a different practice.
4. Select the Link tab to associate the records of patients in different practices.
5. When you select a tab, the system clears any text in the search field so you may perform a new search.

Merge Tab

Selecting the Patient to Merge

1. Use the Choose the patient to merge section of the Merge tab to search for and select the patient whose file you wish to merge into another file.
2. Enter one or more characters in the Patient Name or ID field, or select Search or Possible Merge Search. This is a search-as-you-type field.
   • Search: Select Search to select the desired patient in the Patient Search page. See the Patient Search topic. If you have already selected the patient to merge with (see "Selecting the Patient to Merge With" below), and then you search for and select a new patient to merge, the system will clear the patient to merge with to prevent you from selecting the same patient twice.
   • Possible Merge Search: Select Possible Merge Search to use the advanced filter settings on the Possible Merge Search page to search for and select a patient from the list of potentially duplicate records. See the Possible Merge Search topic. The system will not allow you to select the same patient record as the patient to merge and the patient to merge with.
3. Once you select the desired patient, the system displays the Patient ID, Name/Age, SSN, MRN, Phone, Address, Practice, Primary Insurance, and Secondary Insurance. Ensure the correct patient is displayed.
4. If it is not the correct patient, select Cancel to clear the Merge tab and begin a new process.
5. If it is the correct patient, search for the patient in the Choose the patient to merge with section. The text will show the source and destination for the merged patients. See "Selecting the Patient to Merge With" below.
6. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Selecting the Patient to Merge With

1. Use the Choose the patient to merge with section of the Merge tab to search for and select the patient whose file you wish to merge the information into.
2. Enter one or more characters in the Patient Name or ID field and select Search or Possible Merge Search.
   • Search: Select Search to select the desired patient in the Patient Search page. See the Patient Search topic. The Patient Search page will not display the patient you selected as the patient to merge (see above) to prevent you from selecting the same patient twice.
   • Possible Merge Search: Select Possible Merge Search to use the advanced filter settings on the Possible Merge Search page to search for and select a patient from the list of potentially duplicate records. See the Possible Merge Search topic. The system will not allow you to select the same patient record as the patient to merge and the patient to merge with.
3. Once you select the desired patient, the system displays the Patient ID, Name/Age, SSN, MRN, Phone, Address, Practice, Primary Insurance, and Secondary Insurance. Ensure the correct patient is displayed.
4. If it is not the correct patient, select Start Over to clear the Merge tab and begin a new process.
5. If it is the correct patient, merge the patient files using the Perform the merge section. See "Merging Patient Files" below.
6. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
7. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Merging Patient Files

1. Use the Perform the merge section of the Merge tab to combine the testing and insurance information for the selected patient records.
2. Select the Swap Source and Destination Patients button to swap the Source and Destination patients. The button will only appear after both the Source and Destination patients have been selected.
3. Select Merge Patients to initiate the merge process. This button is also available in some cases on the Link tab. See "Linking Patient Files" below.
4. The system alerts you to the changes that will happen in the merge and prompts you to continue. Select Proceed with Merge to continue merging the files.
5. After the merge, the system clears the Merge tab. You may continue merging patient files, if desired.
6. Perform an Advanced Merge by selecting the Advanced Merge link in the top, right-hand corner of the Merge tab. See the Advanced Patient Merge topic.
7. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
8. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Delete/Inactivate Tab

Selecting the Patient to Delete/Inactivate

1. Use the Choose the patient to delete/inactivate section of the Delete/Inactivate tab to search for and select the patient whose file you wish to delete or inactivate.
2. Enter one or more characters in the Patient Name or ID field and select Search to select the desired patient in the Patient Search page. See the Patient Search topic.
3. Clear the Show active only checkbox to include any inactivated patients in the search. If you search for and select an inactive patient, you may reactivate the patient, if desired. See "Reactivating Patients" below.
4. Once you select the desired patient, the system displays the Patient ID, Name/Age, SSN, MRN, Phone, Address, Practice, Primary Insurance, and Secondary Insurance. Ensure the correct patient is displayed.
5. If it is not the correct patient, perform a new search using the Patient Name or ID field.
6. If it is the correct patient, select Delete, Inactivate, or Reactivate to delete, inactivate, or reactivate the patient's record. See Deleting Patients, Inactivating Patients, or Reactivating Patients below.
7. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
8. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Deleting Patients

1. Once you have selected the patient you wish to delete (see "Selecting the Patient to Delete/Inactivate" above), select Delete.
   • If there are no orders for the patient, the system deletes the patient file.
   • If there are orders for the patient, Delete is not available.
2. After the deletion, the system clears the Manage Delete/Inactivate tab. You may continue deleting, inactivating, or reactivating patient files, if desired.
3. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
4. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Inactivating Patients

1. Once you have selected the patient you wish to inactivate (see "Selecting the Patient to Delete/Inactivate" above), select Inactivate.
2. The system inactivates the patient, so the patient will not appear in any searches for patients to delete or inactivate, unless the Show active only checkbox is cleared. See "Selecting the Patient to Delete/Inactivate" above.
3. After the inactivation, the system clears the Manage Delete/Inactivate tab. You may continue deleting, inactivating, or reactivating patient files, if desired.
4. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
5. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Reactivating Patients

1. Once you have selected the patient you wish to reactivate on the Delete/Inactivate tab, select Reactivate. Note that you must clear the Show active only checkbox before performing your search to find an inactivated patient. See "Selecting the Patient to Delete/Inactivate" above.
2. After the reactivation, the system clears the Manage Delete/Inactivate tab. You may continue deleting, inactivating, or reactivating patient files, if desired.
3. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
4. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Change Practice Tab

Selecting the Patient whose Practice Needs to be Changed

1. Use the Choose the patient whose practice needs to be changed section of the Change Practice tab to search for and select the patient whose file you wish to reassign to a different practice.
2. Enter one or more characters in the Patient Name or ID field and select Search to select the desired patient in the Patient Search page. See the Patient Search topic.
3. Once you select the desired patient, the system displays the Patient ID, Name/Age, SSN, MRN, Phone, Address, Practice, Primary Insurance, and Secondary Insurance. Ensure the correct patient is displayed.
4. If it is not the correct patient, perform a new search using the Patient Name or ID field.
5. If it is the correct patient, select the practice to which you wish to assign the patient. See "Selecting the Practice for the Patient" below.
6. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
7. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Selecting the Practice for the Patient

1. Use the Choose the practice to assign the patient section of the Change Practice tab to search for and select the practice to which you wish to assign the patient.
2. Enter one or more characters in the Practice field and select Search to select the desired practice in the Practice Search administration page. See the Practice Search topic.
3. Once you select the desired practice, the system displays the practice name. Ensure the correct practice is displayed.
4. If it is not the correct patient, select Clear to remove the previous practice and perform a new search using the Practice field.
5. If it is the correct practice, select Change Practice to continue with the reassignment. See "Changing the Patient's Practice" below.
6. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
7. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Changing the Patient's Practice

1. Once you have selected the patient you wish to reassign (see "Selecting the Patient whose Practice Needs to be Changed" above) and the practice to which the patient should be reassigned (see "Selecting the Practice for the Patient" above), select Change Practice.
   • When you reassign a patient, the system adds a non-reportable patient comment that states the practice was changed.
   • If the patient uses practice-level insurance, the system copies the information for the new practice during the reassignment.
   • Depending on the settings in the Practices administration page, the system may require a unique value in this field for all patients from a practice.
2. After the reassignment, the system clears the Change Practice tab. You may continue changing practices, if desired.
3. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
4. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Link Tab

Looking up Possible Links

1. Select Possible Link Search on the Link tab to view a list of patients who have not been linked, but who may potentially be linked in the Possible Link Search page. See the Possible Link Search topic.
2. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Selecting the Patient to Link

1. Use the Choose the patient to link section of the Link tab to search for and select the patient whose file you wish to associate with another patient file from a different practice. This is typically used in cases where one patient has records for multiple practices, and you wish to associate the patient records, without deleting or merging records, to indicate they belong to the same person.
2. Enter one or more characters in the Patient Name or ID field and select Search to select the desired patient in the Patient Search page. See the Patient Search topic. If you had already selected the patient to link with (see below), and then search for a new patient to link, the system will reset the patient to link with to prevent you from selecting the same patient twice.
3. Once you select the desired patient, the system displays the Patient ID, Name/Age, SSN, MRN, Phone, Address, Practice, Primary Insurance, and Secondary Insurance. Ensure the correct patient is displayed.
4. If the patient is already linked with one or more other patient records, the system displays the linked patients' information beneath the selected patient's information. In addition, the system displays Remove Link, which allows you to remove the link between patients. See "Removing Patient Links" below.
5. If it is not the correct patient, clear the Patient Name or ID field to begin a new process.
6. If it is the correct patient, search for the patient to which the selected patient should be associated in the Choose the patient to link with section. See "Selecting the Patient to Link With" below.
7. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
8. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Selecting the Patient to Link With

1. Use the Choose the patient to link with section of the Link tab to search for and select a patient's file from a different practice that you wish to associate with the patient you have already selected.
2. Enter one or more characters in the Patient Name or ID field and select Search to select the desired patient in the Patient Search page. See the Patient Search topic. The Patient Search page will not display the patient you selected as the patient to link (see above) to prevent you from selecting the same patient twice.
3. Once you select the desired patient, the system displays the Patient ID, Name/Age, SSN, MRN, Phone, Address, Practice, Primary Insurance, and Secondary Insurance. Ensure the correct patient is displayed.
4. If it is not the correct patient, clear the Patient Name or ID field to begin a new process.
5. If it is the correct patient, link the patient files using the Link section. See "Linking Patient Files" below.
6. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
7. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Linking Patient Files

1. Use the Link section of the Link tab to associate the selected patient records. While linking the records creates an association between them, both files will remain in the database, still assigned to the practice they were previously assigned to. Once the patient records are linked, the system displays the patients as linked on the Find Patient or Order page. See the Find Patient or Order topic.
   
   As part of the linking process, the system assigns a master patient ID. You may view a patient's master patient ID by selecting More on the Demographics page, and you may search for a patient using the master patient ID in the Find Patient field at the top of the system page. The system also exports the master patient ID through the HL7 interface. If you attempt to create a link between a patient with a master patient ID and a patient without a master patient ID, the system will link the patient without a master patient ID to the patient with a master patient ID. If both patients are already mapped to a master patient record, the system alerts you that you must manually disassociate one of the patients from their master patient record before you may link the selected patients.
2. Select the Link Patients button to initiate the linking process. The system will alert you and not allow you to link the patient, if the patient is already linked to the selected practice.
3. Depending on the patients' practices and whether or not the patients are already linked, the system allows you to do one of the following:
   • If the selected patients belong to different practices, then the system displays the Link Patients button so you may link the patient records to create a master patient group. If the first selected patient is already linked to a master patient group, and you choose to link the patient to another patient outside of that group, then the system creates a new master patient group, and the first selected patient loses its association with the previous master patient group.
   • If both selected patients have already been linked so that they belong to the same master patient group, then there is no action to perform.
4. After the linking is complete, the system clears the Link tab. You may continue linking patient files, if desired.
5. Once a patient is linked to a master patient group, the system displays a new link on the Order History page that allows you to view the orders for the patient from all of the practices to which the linked patients belong. The link will not be visible if the patient is not linked to any other patients. See the Order History topic.
6. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
7. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.

Removing Patient Links

1. After you select the patient to link (see "Selecting the Patient to Link" above), if the patient is already linked with one or more other patient records, then the system displays the linked patients' information beneath the selected patient's information.
2. In addition, the system displays Remove Link in the Choose the patient to link with section.
3. Select this button to remove the link between patients.
4. You cannot undo this action; however, you may reestablish the link, if necessary. See "Selecting the Patient to Link" above.
5. You may also remove the link between a patient and the patient's master patient group by selecting the patient, and then selecting a patient outside of the selected patient's master patient group to link the patient with. The system assigns the selected patient to the new master patient group, and removes the patient from the previous master patient group. See "Linking Patient Files" above.
6. Select Cancel at any time to clear the all of the fields on the page.
7. Select a different tab to access the other maintenance actions you may perform on patient records. See "Accessing Patient Maintenance Tabs" above.