The Enterprise Health system allows any stored or indexed document to be linked to a corresponding encounter whether the encounter is open or closed. Linking a document to an encounter in a chart allows users to easily view the encounter and corresponding linked documents, all from one place. Security permission of Link Documents to Encounters must be permitted to users that need to link documents to encounters.
Link Documents
Linking documents to encounters can be performed many different ways. Depending on the workflows being performed and where the user is located within the Enterprise Health system can determine the best method for linking a document to an encounter. The following discusses the various methods available for linking documents to encounters, as needed.
Link from Document View
To link a stored chart document to an encounter, simply find the specific document in the chart that needs to be linked. Once in the document view, click the View Links hyperlink from the right side of the document view.
After clicking View Links, a pop-up window will display a list of items the document is currently linked to, if any. To link the document to an encounter, simply click the Add link displayed in the pop-up.
The Add Encounter Link window will open with an autocomplete field and Search and Add Link buttons. Because most encounter IDs are not known, use the Search button to locate the appropriate encounter ID to be linked. Using the Search button will allow the user to search encounters from the past 3 days.
After clicking the Search button and finding the appropriate encounter, click the Select link next to the encounter being linked to the document. The selected encounter ID and relevant information will populate the field. Continue by clicking the Add Link button, which completes the linking process.
Link from Document Properties
A stored document can be linked to an encounter while in the Properties of the document, as well. To link a document to an encounter from the document properties, simply open the document view and click the Properties link, found in the upper-right corner of the document header.
Once the Properties page loads, click the Link to Encounter hyperlink, near the top of the page.
Clicking the Link to Encounter hyperlink will open the Encounters ListView. All encounters for the chart will appear in the list, and additional details are provided to help users identify the appropriate encounters, as needed. Once the appropriate encounter is found, simply click the Link to Document hyperlink, found in the Options column of the encounter being selected.
Once clicked, the system will link the document to the selected encounter and refresh the page, where a confirmation message will be displayed along with the properties of the linked encounter.
Link from WebScan
Users designated to scan and index documents into the Enterprise Health system also have the ability to link documents to encounters, whenever necessary. While indexing, for example, users can link a stored document (e.g., correspondence, referral consult letter, etc.) to an open or closed encounter of the specified chart.
To link documents to an encounter while using WebScan, note the Encounter field. In order to use this field, a chart must first be specified in the Chart field. Once a chart has been specified, the Encounter field will allow for searching and linking of scanned documents to encounters.
If the exact encounter ID is known, users may begin typing to autocomplete the appropriate encounter. However, if the encounter ID is not known, users may begin searching for one by clicking the Search button next to the Encounter indexing field. When clicked, all encounters for the chart, 3 days out from the provided Service Date, will display. Both open and closed encounters are listed. Select the appropriate encounter by clicking the Select link in the Options column. When finished, either continue indexing the remainder of the batch, or upload the linked documents directly into the chart.
For more details on scanning, indexing, and linking while indexing, see our Indexing documentation.
Link from Add Document
Using the Add Document link provides users the ability to open or create new documents in a chart. This function also allows users to specify an encounter to link to the new document, if necessary. For additional information on how to add documents, link documents, or access pre-configured or pre-templated documents, check out our documentation on Document Management.
First, to begin adding a new document for linking an encounter to, click the Add Document link, while in the appropriate chart.
Find the document type needing added by using the filtering options or autocomplete field.
Once the necessary document has been selected from the library, the Add Document Properties screen will display. Here, users will find an Encounter field, where they may specify and link the appropriate encounter to the document in context.
As noted, if the exact encounter ID is known, users may begin typing to autocomplete the appropriate encounter. However, if the encounter ID is not known, users may begin searching for one by clicking the Search button next to the Encounter autocomplete field. When clicked, all encounters for the chart, 3 days out from the provided Service Date, will display. Both open and closed encounters are listed. Select the appropriate encounter by clicking the Select link in the Options column. Continue adding the document and linking the encounter by clicking the Add Document button at the bottom of the window.
View Documents Linked to Encounters
There are various ways to view documents linked to encounters. Users may simply refer to the document’s properties or navigate to the Encounters chart tab.
A stored document can be accessed from either the appropriate chart tab the document is indexed to, or from the Documents chart tab. While in the document, click the Properties link. Once the Properties page loads, locate the Encounters Linked to Document section. Here, all linked encounters will be listed.
The linked encounters of documents can easily viewed from the Encounters chart tab, as well. Once the Encounters ListView loads, locate the appropriate encounter and click the View Links hyperlink, in the Options column. Clicking this will open a pop-up window displaying a list of documents linked to the selected encounter.
Print Encounter and Linked Documents
When printing an encounter, users may also want to print all the documents linked to that encounter. There is a system setting to enable printing documents linked to the encounter by default. To enable this setting, go to the Control Panel and the System Settings. The system setting is E-Chart > Print Chart > Print linked documents with encounters and it is disabled by default.
When the system setting is enabled, there will be an additional setting that displays on the pop-up print window. The Include documents in the linked documents section of encounters setting will be checked, which means that any encounter printed will also print all linked documents associated with that encounter.
Move Link via Encounter Properties
Users may move a linked document from one encounter to another encounter, if necessary.
To move a linked document to another encounter, navigate to Encounters chart tab and click the Properties link of the appropriate encounter.
Once the page loads, scroll down to the Links to Encounter section to view all items linked to the encounter in context.
Find the document needing moved to another encounter. Once located, click the Move Link hyperlink.
When the Move Link hyperlink is clicked, the page will refresh with a Move Encounter Link section displayed where the previous Links to Encounter section was shown.
Enter the specific encounter ID into the Move to Encounter autocomplete field. Once the encounter is entered, click the Move button.
The page will refresh again, this time replacing the Move Encounter Link section with the Confirm Move Link to Encounter section. Click the Confirm Move button to confirm the moving of the document to the new encounter.
After confirming the move, the page will refresh with a confirmation showing from where and where to the document has been moved.
Unlink Documents
Unlinking a document from an encounter is just as easy as linking or viewing one. Unlinking can be performed from either the Encounter Properties or the Document Properties.
Unlink from Encounter Properties
To remove the link of a document from an encounter, navigate to the Encounters chart tab and locate the appropriate encounter. Once located, click the Properties link.
Once the page loads, scroll down to the Links to Encounter section to see all items linked to the encounter in context.
Locate the linked document needing unlinked from the encounter, and click the Delete Link hyperlink, in the Options column.
Once clicked, the page will refresh with a Delete Encounter Link section displayed where the previous Links to Encounter section was shown. Click the Delete Link button to confirm the deletion of the link to the encounter.
After confirming the deletion of the link to the encounter, the page will refresh with a confirmation, and the document will no longer be listed in the Links to Encounters section.
Unlink from Document Properties
A link between a document and an encounter can be removed from the properties of the document, as well.
Locate the appropriate document. When viewing the document, click the Properties link from the document header. When the page loads, scroll down to the Encounters Linked to Document section.
Locate the appropriate linked encounter and remove by simply clicking the Remove Link hyperlink from the Options column.
