Creating Clinical Note Templates
To create Clinical Note Templates navigate to Settings > Clinical Notes > Templates.
All existing Clinical Note Templates will be displayed on this page, where they can be clicked on for editing.
Click Add Template to create a new template.
To begin, please enter a Name for the template. If applicable you can also select a Folder for the template to be stored inside, and add any applicable Tags. Tags can be used to categorise notes for easy identification and filtering.
Next, click Add To Note.
This will display a list of Components, which can be added to the template.
You can add any combination of components you need to build your clinical note template. For example, a basic template might be a combination of Header, Rich Text and Body Chart components.
If needed you can then pre-fill text and other information within these components, including text, images, tables and clinical symbols.
Select one or more components to add to your template, then click Save.
Basic Components
Below are some of the main components used within Clinical Note Templates:
Header
The Header component is used to title your template or sections of your template.
Rich Text
The Rich Text component is a simple text field, where the text can then be formatted as needed. Any images, text or tables entered into this field will be stored with the template and appear upon using this template.
Body Chart
The Body Chart is a graphical component with various charts to choose from.
After selecting a body chart the graphic will appear in your clinical note template, where you can then use the various tools to mark the chart in appropriate areas.
The 'Label' feature is especially useful, as it allows you to number areas of the body and enter corresponding text with more detail.
Spine Chart
The Spine Chart is a component that combines a spine graphic and aligned text fields for each section of spine, allowing for specific assessment and adjustment notes.
Chart allows to input a line of text for every section of the spine allowing for detailed assessment of a patients spine.
Image
The Image component allows users to browse for a graphic on their computer, which can then marked with the various tools available (stamps, labels, circles etc).
Advanced Components
Advanced Components give users the ability to add form-like features into your Templates.
Drop down List
In order to add a Drop down List, in the Add To Notes list, under the Advanced Components section, click Drop down List.
This allows you to create a list of selectable items that you can add to your template.
Multiple Choice
The Multiple Choice component allow users to select one or more options from a list.
This could be a list of symptoms or affected areas, for example.
Single Choice
The Single Choice component allow users to select one item from a list of multiple options. This is often used in 'Yes' or 'No' scenarios where the answer can only be one of the other, but not both.
Number
The Number component allows users to set a range of numbers to display on a scale. For example this could be a pain scale from 1 to 10.
In this case we are setting a minimum score of 1, and a maximum of 10.
Hint
The Hint component is used to add additional text and guide the user of the template. For example, this could detail the information to write in a specific field.
Plain Text
The Plain Text component is used to add unformatted text into a clinical note.
Unlike the Rich Text field this cannot be formatted with styles and colours.
Through a combination of these components users can create very advanced templates, which can be added quickly to patient files for easy note-taking.
Other Templates
Lastly, if required you can also insert entire Templates (you have previously saved) into other templates.
For example, you may have previously created a stand-alone template which is a combination of components measure the patient's pain levels. If applicable, you could insert that full set of components into your current template.
Managing Clinical Note Templates
If you now return to Settings > Clinical Notes > Templates your new template will be displayed in this list.
By clicking the Edit button on this page you can:
1) Create new folders.
2) Move Clinical Note Templates between folders.
3) Manage who can access and use specific templates.
4) Delete templates.
Creating New Folders
Go to Settings > Clinical Notes > Templates and Edit the page.
Click Add Folder.
The new folder will be created at the bottom of this list, where a Template Name can be added.
Moving Templates and Folders
Go to Settings > Clinical Notes > Templates and Edit the page.
Hover your mouse over a template or folder, and on the left hand side you will see a symbol of two parallel lines. If you then click and hold over this symbol you can drag the template or folder up and down in the list.
Please note that you can only drag vertically in-line with the symbol (two parallel lines).
Click and drag your templates or folders to the desired location.
Changing Template Permissions
Go to Settings > Clinical Notes > Templates and Edit the page.
Hover over any template or folder and click Access.
This will display the access settings for the template or folder:
These provide the following access:
Full Access - Allow all practitioners clinic to access the template.
Businesses - Restrict access to practitioners associated with specific businesses.
Professions - Restrict access to practitioners of a certain Profession.
Practitioners - Restricts access to individual practitioners.
Deleting Templates or Folders
Go to Settings > Clinical Notes > Templates and Edit the page.
Hover over the template and click the Delete icon.
A warning will appear to confirm if you'd like to delete the template.
Click Delete to confirm.
Through the combination of these features users can effectively create, manage and use clinical note templates within PracSuite.
A well designed template can reduce the need for manual data entry and save practitioners countless hours, so we recommend exploring these features and investing your time in template creation.