Carla,
I tried this and think I am going to like it with a few exceptions. Like my Excel Flow sheets, the Word Document is slow to open...not something I can't live with but not ideal. Also, it would be even better if the AC program itself had a button somewhere, say on the initial page, perhaps beside the "Pull Chart", Refill Meds", or "Orders" buttons that said "Notes". Clicking this would then open a Word Document into which anyone could add a note. It would be very easy then for everyone to track activities being addressed. For instance, I send a message to Everyone or to one staffer to call so and so and remind them they are due for a complete exam with labs. Whoever gets the message calls the patient and leaves a message for them to call. That info is put into the Word document and saved (preferably not in the encounters...perhaps in Imported items). The patient calls the next day, speaks with a different staffer who can pull up their Word Document and see why they were called and make the appointment for them and complete the lab request. From a legal standpoint, the fact that we called (perhaps on numerous occasions) and urged the patient to follow up is very important. But, I do not think it really warrants cluttering up the Past Encounters. Having the info available to me when I "purge" charts or run searches then makes it easy for me to see when a patient needs to be sent a certified letter or needs to be discharged from the practice (for example for refusing to follow up as requested). This Word document then can serve as a running testament to anything having to do with issues not directly related to patient care. It can also be used for billing issues, such as, "Spoke with insurance company today and they say patient's coverage did not begin until date blah, blah." Or, "Patient's Seconday pays Medicare Deductible". We currently use this Notes feature of my PM program a lot. I will miss it if I ever convert completely to AC.
Leslie
