Home Forums Discussions Problems entering patient data without visit - conversion

We are converting over to AC and are chomping at the bit to enter patient information before a visit to save time when they come in. It looks like we can work on the Summary Sheet and add medications and problem lists, but I would also like to have a chance to put in their PMH, FH/SH before their first AC-recorded visit. It looks like we can "fake" an encounter and make the cc something like "inputing data", but I hate to do a work around unless I know there is no better way. AC support suggested that we start an encounter and send it to someone and it will be ready to go when they come in next. Problem with this is that it will clutter the mailbox (I may input complicated-patients data months before a visit) and potentially make it unavailable to others. Ideas for me? If we have the energy to get stuff in, sure hate to waste it. thanks.

If your only objection to AC's suggestion is that your mailbox will become cluttered, then consider forwarding the encounter to the Nurses or Providers inbox. Then when you have someone whose info has already been entered just look for it there. Click the Patient Name bar at the top to order the list by name. You will probably have to change the encounter date to the date they're seen though.

I believe that will work fine.

But, I think it's generally a bad idea to let your main list get too long and AC has said they suspect full inboxes are related to the problem with AC dropping some connections. Just so you have an idea if you start to have problems. AC might have another point release before that happens though so just keep it in mind.

I actually find it best to wait until they are there - amazing how often information is not right anyway and it only takes a few minutes to enter PMHX, PSHX,SOCHX, FAMHX, MEDS, ALLERGIES anyway. It is nice to start fresh with new AC visit and clean up old chart.

I find it saves me time to go through a new patient's written health history and enter the data in AC. I put on the cc line "Review of Health History". My MA then knows touo pull up that info into the encounter the day they come.

Congrats on choosing AC!

Our office just started out with AC and our doctor depends heavily on aggregating large amounts of information in the most recent encounter section before the patient comes in. Patients are seen for an hour and numerous health issues are discussed.

What we do is, a few days before the patient comes in for their visit, the front desk transfers information from their paper chart into the PMHx, SocHx, Family Hx and Allergies section (since we're not all electronic yet!), we change the date of the encounter to the date of the patient's visit, then we forward the chart to the doctor with "APPT PREP" in the subject line.

The doctor checks her inbox and knows which patients to prepare. She'll make her notes/changes/updates and forwards it back to herself or the front desk when the patient is ready for her appointment. Then the encounter is signed when the patient is actually in the office.

In a way, this method does "tie up the charts"; but we've found that you can make changes to the demographics, summary sheet and can even attach a message to the chart and it all gets saved regardless of whose inbox the chart is in.

The only thing we haven't quite worked out is if a patient cancels her appointment. Do we forward it forever or sign it with something like "CANELLED APPT" in the Chief Complaint so it shows up as the subject in the Past Encounters section?

So far, this has worked well for us. We've developed a standardized subject system to name forwarded charts or messages so that when you click the "Subject" header in your message box, it orders everything alphabetically by subject (that way all the "APPT PREP" charts show up together, etc.) This helps to at least improve the appearance of a cluttered inbox!

Hope that helps!