Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Printing labels

Hi,
I am new to the forum and amazing charts. I am using the trial version to see if this EMR is for me. I have already used in other offices on a temporary basis, but have found it somewhat lacking in certain areas and yet surprisingly superior in others.

As part of running a practice, I need to be able to print off labels for pt specimens. I don't see an obvious way to do this. Has someone else found a way to print off just pt demographics on a small sticky label that would be suitable for for specimens?

Also, the current format for Referal letters and requisitions looks rather well....unprofessional. is there any way to change the font size and format to suit our practice? Can i scan in lab reqs and fill out the appropriate tick boxes through the software?

thanks,

Agent99

Unless we missed it, there's no convenient way to print single patient labels in AC. Our work around . . . Brother's label printing software has a screen capture utility (comes with printer, we use the Brother QL-570 $35-60 on net). Start a letter to patient, which formats the name and address, click on the label software to screen capture, highlight the name and address from the letter, and boom it's in a label ready to hit print. You can add text to the label before you print. It's not elegant, but it's faster than retyping a name and address. Hear, Hear on the letters, etc. Next version??

Hi Agent99,

1. http://www.medwaresoftware.com/programs/Amazing%20Labels%208/publish.htm

You only need a Dymo Printer 400, and you can't beat it. This prints demographics and source and DOS.

2. The letter writer is unprofessional. I doubt it will change.

3. I am not sure why you have issues with the reqs. They are fine for everyone else.

4. Can you scan in lab reqs. No, unless you have digitalized them with Adobe or some other software.

The letter writer will have to at least add Rich Text in the future to be viable.

Address labels will have to an ability with this new PM system they are adding to AC. If it's not, well, another thing to wish for.

In a perfect world, we wouldn't need lab reqs and could just use the "orders" section of AC to click what we wanted and off it went electronically (or at least by fax). I am beginning to do that with my local lab and its working so far.

I don't know why anyone would use anything else than my Lab Labels and chart labels and address labels. I mean it's freeware and it's 100 times better than anything AC has or will do.

As much as I don't like the new orders in v5, I think it is absolutely perfect. It gives you the labs, it gives you the diagnosis, you can do the R/O and Urgent read. It records in the chart.

I am missing what is wrong with it. Other than how non-intuitive it is in v5.

Maybe I don't know any better, but I like the orders pretty much the way they are. There are a few glitches... having to select the recipient before clicking the orders and the inability to build up orders as you proceed through the encounter and then sending at the end to name a couple.... but it is slick to have the vaccines and procedures all ordered up and sent to the nurses and waiting when I walk out of the room.

How many vaccines do you do in a day?

Steve,

That sounds pretty cool, but does that mean you have to start a letter and screen capture so you have an address ready to print to a label? I don't think I am getting it.

I still don't know why one wouldn't take the $60 and purchase a Dymo Label Writer.

Ahhh, vaccines.... well, I guess I had those in mind under health maintenance.

I was just asking in reference to do you figuring out the vaccines and then send them electronically via an order to your nurse?

My nurses do the paperwork of ordering so making this smooth in AC is tough. I just want her to be able to click a patient and order the CBC and CT Abd/Pelvis and send it on (which she can). Then when she saves it after faxing it to the lab/radiology, it would save in a nice spot so when the results came back, we could reconcile them (which it doesn't).

Not that easy for her to do. Lots of forwarding the chart to get it saved into the chart, picking people to send it to, entering in the diagnosis in the correct spot if the encounter note hasn't been done yet, etc. I think it tries too hard to be integrated into the note but it doesn't do it very well. Plus, I don't necessarily need an encounter note to order something.

It's close and doable as most things are. Just not like regular practice work flow. I'm having to adjust our workflow again to integrate this orders section.

The attractiveness of AC is that it is inexpensive and easy to fit into a regular workflow. Some of this is getting away from that.

To get EMRs to take a good hold, the EMR companies will have to take away the "menial" tasks out of the doctor's hands and put them back in the nurses hands like they have always been. Most docs who use paper will "tell" their nurse to "get a CBC and a CT Abd/Pelvis on Ms. Doe" and off they go. With EMRs, we become typists, order entry clerks, medication order entry clerks, transcriptionists, etc while my staff sit around and watch me do it all.

Wow, that wasn't supposed to be a rant. EMRs will have to learn to make their best effort of keeping the workflow as close to paper as possible if they want to be the most successful EMR.

You hit it on the head. Why do clerical tasks suddenly have to be done by someone logged in as the MD? My partner absolutely refuses to have anything to do with any EMR for this reason. I suspect the abysmal EMR use figures (20% ?, 30% ? of docs using EMRs) are because of this absurd login nonsense.

I am missing something here. Or maybe I am stepping way over the limit. But, no worries here.

My nurse does EVERYTHING.

When the patient comes in to be triaged, she figures out the shots and draws them and gives them after. Sure, I glance at them. I used to be the best with shot schedules. Not anymore. She does all of it. She even decides with the patient when they will what or none if the patient doesn't want it. She just documents it in the HPI so I read it.

Now, it just so happens when it is a one Hib after 15 month rule or 3 after 4 and 4 after 4 for IPV and DTaP respectively, she comes to me at times.

Labs. All her. If I see a patient in the room that needs a CXR or CBC I go right to the "Other" sesction -- don't bother with ANY of the other columns except referrals -- and I print it off. Done, documented in the chart and I can save it to visit history as well. But, U/As, cultures, strep or any test that we do, she does the req or sends it out. If I am in the room and I know the patient needs an MRI and an abdominal U/S, I message her while I am talking, and she prints out the reqs, schedules the procedures and an appointment card is waiting when I get out. When she prints on the req or faxes it, I get a message in my inbox. I don't touch a thing. Referral. Quick letter with my system, click on the specialist, type headaches in the comment section and send it to my receptionist. I am done thinking about that. The letter is usually faxed when I get to the front if I don't do it from the room.

In the six or seven years I have used AC (even with this HM nightmare), I have never sent an order via AC to do anything. Either verbal or via instant message. After hours or when there are messages in my inbox, I will send messages with lab results via the message system. I remember posts a year or so ago (which is fine -- everyone has their own workflow) where the ENTIRE chart would be forwarded to the MA for an order. She/He would then do their thing and send the chart back. Then it would be sent to billing.

I don't do any lab reconciliation. I am not sure if people are doing that now because of v5 or they just felt compelled to do that. (Certainly not knocking anyone who does). I guess I just trust the lab and radiology like I trust my MA. I know. They aren't even close, but we get 95% of our labs and x-ray results back. And, our patients know to call. Gotta give 5% of responsibility to them.

My MA pretty much triages what she needs to and schedules the rest. All refills and a lot of meds are ePrescribed. EVERYTHING is documented in the message and sent to me. I see them while I am working. Worst case scenario, I tell her...know I don't think we should call in that med or we need less mLs or we should see the patient. If she ever left, I would have to give it all up.

And, even things I haven't mentioned are done by her. She reads my mind. She has the prior authorizations done before the patient leaves the room. She knows what I will probably write for, so she has the Strattera PA ready. The Nutramigen samples are out.

But, it isn't about that. It's about what is all this about the login?

I guess if you do everything the way AC wants things to flow, it would be impossible. If I could tear out the order section, I would be pretty much happy with it. Figured out the template thing. It's fixed. Still waiting if the ghosts are going to start multiplying the templates. Don't use them much anyway.

Oh, and I forgot. She does most of my letters.

Wow. I guess this was a reverse rant. Funny thing is I could just delete or edit it, but I'll leave it there to be unraveled.

Bert, you have a great system with smart staff members. I only wish I could find someone as good, and hang onto them.

However...only a logged in physician ("provider" in EMR-speak) can print out electronically signed orders, send eRxs, follow up on and sign off incoming correspondence including lab & xrays, and print out prescriptions.

Since this comprises about 30-50% of the EMR-related tasks, I can only second what Travis has said, that AC, like most other EMRs, wastes physician time. All these tasks were done by by MAs in my "paper chart" days. If any logged-in staff member could do these with AC, I would be most grateful. But the fact is now, it doesn't work that way. The EMR trend is to reformulate office workflow, not improve it.

I don't know where everyone gets this. I think I will sell my version to everyone and make thousands.

Anyone logged on with medical student privileges can ePrescribe, use NewCrop, print out electronic orders, etc. For me to have her logged in as a provider would technically be a violation of the EULA.

No, they can't sign off imported items. Neither can I. I NEVER use imported items for anything unless it is to save a letter. F.A.P. is just WAAAAYYYYYYY faster than Imported Items.

F.a.p.?

Yeah, I have brought it up again, lol.

File Assistant Pro is a program my software developer made which is designed for document management. It does not work with AC at all as far as importing, it does use the demographics. I have used it for over 2.5 years with 7GBs of data.

It only works with a solo practice. It is easily downloadable, and easily the more involved of our three programs.

For sale? If so, price?

We don't charge, anything. I will send you the link in a PM.

It isn't that hard to set up. You can play with it. It is compatible with PDF and Word. One big tip is to set up the folders it needs prior to installing it. To do this, make one folder called FAP. Make the following subfolders:

Data
Backup
Watch
Transfers

Once downloaded, it will want paths and you browse to these paths. Of course, the parent folder, FAP, should be fully shared.

It should automatically find your SQL Server database.

The default password is "admin" without the quotes. Once in the admin section, you can make up to 20 categories such as Labs, X-ray, ED, Demographics, etc.

Of course, any questions are fine. I used to actually have a manual. I can also remote in if you find it interesting and set it up for you.

Bert,

Can I get the ol' FAP from you.

I HATE IMPORTS!!!!!!!!! Crash Crash Crash.

Another quick question Bert:

Trying to use your labeling software and Error Opening file keeps coming up? I have the server set correctly, is this a permissions thing? Not sure what the deal is?

Well, first, I can guarantee it is bug free, so we should start from that premise. I am assuming you both have the Dymo printer AND have the Dymo print software on that computer. You MUST have the Dymo software on any computer you are printing from.

Kindly let me know.

I have a dymo 450 with software loaded on the computer I am working on, my list populates and when I choose to print a label I get the error message

And, you can print a label directly from the Dymo software? Also, in the field where the printer should be in Amazing Labels, is there a printer listed?

Most definitely on the FAP.

Can print from Dymo
Printer listed in Dymo 450

Thanks on the FAP

But is it listed in Amazing Labels? Are you running v4 or v5? If you have AC 5.0, you will need Amazing Labels v5.

I am running V5 how do I know what V of labels I running

i am running that is

Help -> About on top right
5.0.5.9

8.0.0.2

Dymo is V8 as well

How do I get V5 for labels? Website only gives me V4 or V8?
Also is the FAP on there what I would download?
If so (when you have time) could you PM me the instructions on what folders to set up in advance before I install it. I won't be doing this for a couple weeks so no hurry! I appreciate all that you do Bert.

Are you sure I want VIPER? isn't that the vaccine program?

Sorry, I screwed up.

http://www.medwaresoftware.com/programs/Amazing%20Labels%208/publish.htm

Try this one with v8 of Dymo

I fixed it, needed to update the dymo software, works like a charm now!! Thanks for the program, it's great