DMS,
Even though it's confusing, I still think it is by design. The Demographics where you always see the consultant or referral is actually part of the patient chart. All of the tabs at the top are for that patient. Anything entered and saved for that patient can be seen in those fields.
The other demographics field you are referring to should be thought more of a screen to add new patient demographics and/or edit or change current patient's data. It is not necessarily read/write. In fact, I would look at it more like write. It is exactly the same window (as you stated except it relates to a patient. But it is not meant to be used completely as the demographic section (although close). Try this:
Pull the patient up in the Add new patient type demographics. You will see his/her name at the top, and their ID number in blue at the far right top. Enter a referral name. Save the chart. Bring it back up, and it is gone. You have write privileges (I say that loosely). Now go to the patient's name and either double click or right click and choose demographics. In the demographics window click on the referral/consultant tab, and you will see your entry.
Go back to the other way pulling to the patient's demographics via the Rolodex dropdown. Now look in con/ref tab. It's gone. And, you are in demographics. But, you really aren't. You are in the Add/New patients window with your patient selected.
NOW TO SEE the referral, Click in the last name -- first name field at the top left as if you are going to enter or search for a patient. SEARCH for your patient. (I know, he is already there). So, if he were Bill Gates, type in G a t until Gates, Bill is there. Highlight his name. Now you are in read/write mode and are considered in his chart. Go to your referral tab, and you will see your referral.
Now you may wonder why you can see any other data there. And, I don't know....I am speaking for AC. But, given we should look at that field as a place to edit data (which you can in the other regular demographics field)consider the data there. Every other field of data including the tabs adjacent to consult/referral pertain to demographics. Something you would enter for a new patient or something your receptionist would change. But, you wouldn't enter a consultant then. And, you wouldn't need to see it from there either.
I am not saying this is not a bug, because I don't know. I am not even saying it makes a lot of sense. But, I can see the logic, sort of. But, given that you can enter either place and considering it can be confusing for anyone to have to pull it up and then pull up the name, I would just use the demographics screen in the patient's chart.
To make it clearer, it would be easier to just type CTRL + N at the MAIN screen and type in Bill Gates and then click on the consultant/referral tab. Your referral will be right there.
