Home Forums Discussions Feedback and Recommendations Multiple records or multitasking

I would like the ability to work with multiple records at one time.

Frequently, we have parents bring in multiple kids into our practice and we need the ability to open up multiple records at one time. It is a little frustrating that we have to forward the record to ourselves via the messaging feature and open up a new record with each patient while we conduct physical examinations, wait for test results, or need to review the records for later. This actually slows us down because it takes AC sometime to open up each record with each patient. Things need to be more flexible and efficient when dealing with multiple patients.

CurryFordPeds,
Totally with you. So often I will be working on a note and the MA walks in and asks me about another patient. Being able to have more than one note open at the same time would save lots of steps and time.

This has more to do with multitasking, but one nice feature of Updox is when typing a letter from AC regarding a lab report, the report is viewable on the Updox worksite. So if I forget what the HgA1C was while typing the letter, I can refer and refresh my memory. Otherwise I have to cancel the letter in the midst of typing and open up the Lab section to view the Quest imported result, and start all over.
This does not address the more than one chart open at a time issue, however the letter writing issue comes up daily for me, and having the Updox work site has helped this issue immensely.
Then my nurse sends the result on its way, no paper, no envelope, and more importantly instantaneously without a stamp.

Thanks, Awesome idea Jimmie

I agree.. I will be on hold for ins info for one and open another chart to work on it and then in the middle of that can't get back to the other until I save the current one... so I'm irritating some insurance people but limits what I can do for managing the phone and working on prepping charts.

This is a big issue for me, too. I share the problem of multiple sibling patients.

But the biggest interruption to my workflow is from my MA telling me that a patient is on the phone and needs me to refill or change a prescription, sometimes to write a quick school or work excuse. The brief visit notes aren't a problem, but when I have to interrupt my own work many times--often while writing a comprehensive evaluation of some sort--it makes me really angry at AC for not having this feature.

It's really difficult when I'm here in my little practice working late. When someone calls, I have to stop what I'm doing just to look up a phone number.

I imagine that asking for multiple open patients is both very desirable and very difficult to add. Major redesign that would probably slow the program down considerably for the occasional need.

How about if you got a laptop, set it up for wireless use, and have the MA bring it to you with the patient's chart open and ready for you? There you go, multitasking with multicomputers.

A better way would be to use remote desktop. You can run multiple instances of Amazing Charts. Some people have Amazing Charts as a RemoteApp. You can just run a second instance.

To some extent I understand the controversy about being able to open two charts at once (there are advantages and disadvantages to allowing this). I also agree with Sandeep that his solution is a fairly straightforward one.

On the other hand, in many ways you can have two charts open at once. In fact, you can do that in nearly every example given above.
If one patient's chart is open (say you are working on a note) and you want to keep it open, but work on another patient, you can do so by typing their name in the patient list at left:
1. to enter insurance information, select their name and hit F5.
2. to refill a prescription, hit ctrl-m, or right click and "select medications and prescribing"
3. to write a work slip or school note, right click and select "print notes and letters"

In each case, you can work with two charts at once.

Can't beat Sandeep's cost either.

I like Jon's method. Here are two others. First, you probably know this, but you click on CTRL + S and send the chart to your inbox. That would be safer than having two live charts open.

Second, get a free version of a virtual machine from VMWare or a paid version and put one on each computer. It really is simple. Install VM. Then install an OS on the virtual machine. You could open it in the morning and keep it minimized, then pull it up when you need a chart.

This is a great suggestion too. Windows 8 Pro now comes with Hyper V Client so it should be easy to setup a VM. VMWare player is not for commercial use unless you have written consent from VMware (recently changed). I'm sure they would approve it for you.

Guess this is a primary care issue Dan-I deal with this many many times a day. I run 2 laptops at the same time. Clumsy, frustrating. This and order tracking are some of the big issues I'm considering other emrs. (Also the fact that AC was bought by Pri-Med).

Hi Sandeep
Great idea about RDC. Use that for working at home all the time. What is a RemoteApp?

It's the same technology that AC uses to set up their cloud service. I have a couple practices who have RemoteApp. RDC gives you a full desktop. RemoteApp gives you just the program of Interest (Amazing Charts). However it does require a terminal server. I usually setup a terminal server for those people who don't have their office wired/don't want to have their office wired.

We have a terminal server, going to look into that! Thanks