Home Forums Discussions Problems Spell Checking

I just upgraded from 8. to 9.1 and one issue has me very frustrated. The AC spell checker now blocks out any option to add words to the dictionary. Not a big deal except the dictionary is NOT A MEDICAL DICTIONARY. I also like to use my patient's names in my notes and now I have to click ignore for this and can't add them as I go.

I now must choose to disable spell checking at sign off (which I have done), or I have to click ignore for every medical word, abbreviation and drug name on my note -- one note was 22 clicks of useless ignoring. Apologies if this is an old topic but I'm now finding the limitations significantly unworkable.

Does anyone at AC care about accelerating our ability to document encounters? This just seems obvious and inexcusable. Add a MEDICAL DICTIONARY
Does anyone have a work around like a dictionary file that could be installed?

Thanks for any suggestions

Teleski,
I think what you are overlooking is the "Add" button on the spellchecker. If you want a medical term or a patient's name in the dictionary, instead of "ignore" click "add" and it will no longer be regarded as an incorrect spelling.

Thanks Jon,

The add button is now "grayed out and non-functional" since my upgrade. All my previous added words are not in the current English dictionary, and routine medical words, abbreviations and drug names from previously correct templates etc all trigger spelling errs. The spell checker on this forum is now significantly more functional the the AC one.

I really don't mean to rant, but we deserve a medical dictionary in a what is first and foremost a medical note production program. If AC can't code it they could licence it from a professionally prepared and updated source. Dragon's Medical dictionary for example is amazing. (Too bad about the Speako's) I am trying to use it more and more with the current issue, but alsoI type in the exam room and dictate at my private desk.

I felt absolutely crushed by this when I got going with exploring all the new features of the upgrade (many of which are great). 10-20 needless click on the first few notes, then elected to disable spell checking at sign off in preference and have compromised the professionalism of my notes for expediency.

So simple and obviously needed. Even if the add button were enabled again I would be clicking add again and again to"teach" it 8 years of medical jargon and abbreviation customization that I've already done.

Patrick Barry
Family Medicine
Winter Park, CO

Teleski,
Sorry to hear about your experience. I can tell you that my spell checker does not function that way. For one thing, the "Add" button is functional. For another, I believe that when I upgraded I kept the old terms (and names) that I had previously added - I might be wrong about that, but I believe it to be the case. I think there is some sort of bug in your spell checker- I would encourage you to contact AC support and ask them about it. Start with the non-functional "Add" button...

Hi Teleski.

I believe I have a fix for you on this issue. It seems the custom dictionary file permissions where not set correctly on upgrade and the spell check could not access the file correctly. This prevented not only you from adding words, but also checking them during check. I am going to email you instructions on how to set the permissions in the file. If you do not feel comfortable with this, you can always reply to my email and I can set up a time to do this.

Sorry for the inconvenience this caused you and thank you for reporting it. We will be able to bug this issue and work on getting it resolved.

Thank you for the prompt attention Mark,

I received the Email and will apply the straight forward fix to allow customization.
As you might guess I still feel very strongly that the Default Dictionary should be a medical one.
Is previously completed customization preserved through upgrades?

Patrick Barry

We're having the same issue. If possible, could we get the instructions as well? It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi Etalbert.

Here are the instructions I sent Dr Barry.

Here are the steps to fix the issue.

- Go to the main server for your office
- Click on the start menu and select ?Computer? from the right (it might also say ?my computer? depending on your OS)
- Select the drive that you have Amazing Charts installed on (usually C:)
- Select the ?Program Files X86? folder, then the Amazing Charts Folder
- Browse for the file called ?CustomDictionary.txt?
- Right click on the file and Select ?Properties? from the list
- Select the security tab at the top.
- Click ?Edit?, then click the ?Add? button
- Type ?Everyone? in the field and click ?ok?
- Select the option at the bottom that says ?Full Control?
- Click ?Apply? and then OK.

Thank you so much!!

Mark@AC's fix is only half the job. You get the 'new' spelling dictionary and lose all of your customizations. I did his fix on the server, BACKED UP THE FILE (important step) then searched my laptop to C:\Program files (x86)\Amazing Charts\Custom dictionaries and found userdic.txt that had been modified last on the day before our upgrade to 9.1.

open (main server) customdictionary.txt in Notepad
open (Local PC) userdic.txt. in another session of Notepad.
copy, paste one into the other.
copy paste the combined file into a spreadsheet and sort the column.
go through about 2500 lines and eliminate duplicates (and a few misspellings)
copy paste the column from the spreadsheet back into Notepad
File, SaveAs (Main server) customdictionary.txt
and to be redundant, File SaveAs (Local PC) Userdic.bak.txt

Now I have the benefit of four years of spell checking customizations.

Have not looked at my partner's dictionaries.

Montana_Doc your post got me thinking...

Does anyone have experience with a downloadable medical dictionary as a .txt file?
I just found this at http://rianjs.net/lexismed
I wonder if I could use your instructions above to add t or replace my current greatly diminished custom dictionary

Potential to reduce 66,239 useless clicks if reliable/accurate

Patrick Barry MD

If you can find a way to edit the file, it seems you could cut and paste the words in. I don't have time to play with it, but I'd love to see a solution. After 'teaching' the AC dictionary for years, it rarely calls up a medical word.