The LMR's Automatic Note Distribution feature allows you to automatically send notes via email, fax, and clinical message to all CC List recipients once the note is finalized. (Manual processing is required for CC List recipients who receive printed copies of notes.)
Authorized users can activate this feature from the Admin menu by clicking Tools, HIS, Notes Distribution Report, and Report Settings. Then, select the Institution, Clinic, and Subset; select whether you want to activate based on clinic or subclinic; and click Select. Complete fields as desired.
Fields include the following:
AutoDistribution - Click to activate the notes distribution process.
Include Letters - Click to allow letters to go to the Letter queue on the Notes Distribution Report.
Default Header - Indicates the default practice header to include on notes distributed from the notes distribution report. (Select from existing LMR Custom Headers. See Creating a Custom Header for details.)
FAX coverpage - Cover page to be used for faxes for clinic (default used if not set up custom by programming).
From FAX Number - Prints on fax cover page (fax requirement).
From Phone - Prints on fax cover page (fax requirement).
Fax Hours - Indicates the time frame used to automatically distribute faxes. Faxes that are outside this time frame are queued to be distributed.
AutoFinal - Click to include autofinalized notes in the distribution process.
Note: Effective January 5, 2011, the functionality in LMR that automatically changes the status of an unsigned note from Preliminary to Auto-Final after 21 days is disabled.
Sub-Clinic Exclusion - If set up at the clinic level, choose the subsets that should not be included in the distribution process.
From Company - Clinic information where the fax is generated from (fax requirement).
Click Add/Update when complete.
To
create or update a clinic CC list for a patient1. Click the Clinic CC List button from the Summary 2 screen. The LMR displays a list of physicians associated with the patient (from the Table of Physicians).
2. For each physician, select one or more of the following columns to designate how he or she will receive the note.
Note: The Dist. Prefs. column indicates the provider's distribution preferences if selected in Custom > Preferences or in the Referring DB.
Print - When printed, notes include cover sheets with mailing addresses.
Fax - If no fax number is recorded for the physician, or if your practice does not have an authorization number for faxing, no check box appears in the fax column. All ten digits of the fax number must be entered. Not available for GE Centricity users.
Email - If no email is recorded for a physician, no check box appears in the email column for that physician. The full email address must be entered (example: woetest@partners.org). Not available for GE Centricity users.
Clinical Message - Indicates that a note for the specified patient is available. Clinical message can only be sent to providers within the Partner's network (including Epic and authorized GE ChartLinx users) and should only be selected if you know the physician uses clinical messages.
3. When you are finished, click Ok.
Note: When the author of a note is also on the CC List, the autodistribution process suppresses distribution of a copy of the note to that provider.
To
update the list of physicians from within a noteTo add a physician not currently on the clinic CC List do the following:
1. Click Add New. The LMR displays a physician search window.
2. Look up the physician by either name or license number by typing search criteria and clicking Search.
If matching physicians are found, click to select the physician. If the physician you select practices at more than one site, click the option button for the site you want. Then, click Ok to return to the CC List screen.
If no matching physicians are found, complete fields at the top of the window and click Ok to add the physician to the database and return to the CC List screen.
3. Click one of the first four columns to designate how the added physician will receive the note (print, fax, email, or clinical message). (Options for fax and email are unavailable for GE Centricity users.)
Note: The Dist. Prefs. column indicates the provider's distribution preferences if selected in Custom > Preferences or in the Referring DB.
4. Click the option to specify whether changes you make apply to the currently selected note only or to the entire clinic CC list.
5. When you are finished, click Ok. The LMR redistributes notes based on updated distribution preferences or added physicians, once you click Ok. (This does not apply if updates are made via the Clinic CC button on the Summary 2 screen.)
Note: To assist in removing providers no longer at the hospital, HIS staff can check to see how many Clinic CC lists a provider is on at any time. Do so by selecting the Notes Distribution option from the HIS menu (Admin>Tools>HIS). Then, click Provider Report and search for the provider by name or license number.
To
print paper copies of notes to be distributed
For providers who receive paper copies of notes, you need to perform the following steps to print notes and letters prior to mailing them.
1. Click the Tools option from the Admin menu.
2. Click the Notes Distribution Report option from the HIS menu.
3. Select the subset and dates for which you wish to process CC'd notes.
4. Click Show Report. The LMR prepares separate print queues for note and letters (that is, notes with a subject of "Patient Letter" or similar letter type).
5. Print notes and letters to be mailed using the following methods:
For recipients receiving printed copies of notes (except letters), check to be sure the Print CCs option button is selected. Then, click the check box to the left of each note to be distributed, and click Distribute. Doing so prints a copy of the note for each CC list recipient. (You can review your list of previously printed notes by clicking the Printed CCs option button.)
Note: Prior to printing letters, you may wish to check to be sure your printer is loaded with any special letterhead paper, if applicable.
For recipients receiving printed letters, click the Letters option button. Then, click the check box to the left of each letter to be distributed, and click Distribute. Doing so prints a copy of the letter for each CC list recipient, including an additional copy for the original letter recipient. (You can review your list of previously printed notes by clicking the Printed Letters option button.)
To
track notes sent via clinic CC List
1. Click the Tools option from the Admin menu.
2. Click the Notes Distribution Report option from the HIS menu.
3. Select the subset and dates for which you wish to review distributed CC'd notes.
4. Click Generate Report.
5. Click one of the following option buttons to view tracking for the associated distribution method:
Printed CCs - Displays your previously printed notes (except letters). To reprint any note, click the associated check box and Distribute.
Note: Prior to printing letters, you may wish to check to be sure your printer is loaded with any special letterhead paper, if applicable.
Printed Letters - Displays your previously printed letters (that is, notes with a subject of "Patient Letter" or similar letter type). To reprint any letter, click the associated check box and Distribute. Doing so prints a copy of the letter for each CC list recipient, including an additional copy for the original letter recipient.
Fax - Displays notes previously sent via fax. The Dist. Status column identifies if there were any problems with any transmittal. To resend any fax, click the associated check box and Distribute.
E-Mail - Displays notes previously sent via email. To resend any note, click the associated check box and Distribute.
Clinical Messages - Displays previously sent clinical message notifications. These messages contains a link that the provider can click to access the patient's chart and read the note. To resend any clinical message, click the associated check box and Distribute.