The Link Patient menu option allows you to merge information from two duplicate patient records into a single record.
Because patient records are setup and maintained by multiple users from multiple facilities across a Data Network, it is possible that a patient will have multiple patient records. This can create problems when determining which record to maintain.
Duplicate records fragment clinical data and hinder access to patient information. The Link Patient feature allows to link multiple records for the same patient so that they can become one record.
To Create a Link Between Patient Records
From the Create Link Between Patients screen use the following procedure to link two patients:
In the Patient A field, find the first patient record of the duplicate pair.
In the Patient B field, select the second patient record of the duplicate pair.
(Click here for information on how to search for a patient).
Once you locate two patient records, detailed patient demographic information appears side by side to let you determine if indeed both records are duplicates. The record you want to keep is called the Master record. The record that is merged or linked to the master record is called the trailer record.
Review and confirm that the two patient records are duplicates of each other.
If you want Patient A to be the master record, click the button labeled: Make Patient A the Master Record.
If you want Patient B to be the master record, click the button labeled: Make Patient B the Master Record.
Depending on which record you choose to be the master, a confirmation dialog box appears as the one show on the next sample illustration:
Click OK if you want to confirm the link as described in the dialog box. After a few seconds, the records are linked. From that point on, if you search by the trailer record patient account number, you will get the master record.
Click Cancel to return to cancel the patient link operation.
Note: If two patient records are linked and it turns out that they are not truly duplicates, the link will need to be dissolved. You should contact the Clinician Help Desk for assistance.
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