If a patient requests that you keep a specific encounter confidential from all or some of your clinic members, you can specify who can access those encounter notes. By default, all encounter notes are visible to users who can access a patient.
📌 Notes:
Only the user who sets the access restrictions can edit those restrictions. In an emergency, CHR support can override the restrictions set.
You require Restrict access to an Encounter permission to do this.
You can also restrict access to an entire patient chart (refer to Restricting access to patient charts).
When you restrict access to an encounter, you are designated as the owner. This is indicated by an asterisk beside your name in the User access window.
📌 Note: If a user gains access to a restricted encounter, the owner of the restriction and the user who signed the encounter receive an automated inbox message. If the encounter is unsigned and associated with an appointment, the provider assigned to the appointment also receives a notification. These notifications include the user who forced access, the timing of the access, the reason for it, and a link to the restricted encounter.
Steps
1. Open the specific encounter note.
2. At the top of the encounter note, click Access restrictions.
📌 Note: If you do not have the Restrict access to an Encounter permission, Access restrictions is greyed out.
3. In the User access window, choose the type of access you want to configure for this encounter note.
Field | Description |
All users | All users who can access encounter notes are allowed to access this note. |
Only me | Only you can access this encounter. |
Custom | Only certain groups and/or specific users can access this encounter.
Select the checkbox beside a group name to allow users in that group to access the encounter.
Click Show all groups to see all groups in your domain.
Select + User and chose a user from the list to provide access to specific users.
📌 Note: When you restrict access to an encounter, you are designated as the owner. This is indicated by an asterisk beside your name in the User access window. The system also adds your user account by default to prevent accidentally removing your own access.
To remove access granted to an individual user, select the trash can icon to the right of their name. |
4. Click Save.
📌 Note: Restriction owners cannot remove themselves from the user access list. Similarly, another user cannot remove the owner of the restriction.
Users who do not have access to the encounter can see the encounter in the list of encounters, but see Restricted Access, Content Not Visible in place of the presenting issue. When they attempt to open the encounter, a Permission denied message appears. If they have permission to Force access on an Encounter, they can enter a reason and access the encounter. For more information, refer to Gaining access to a restricted encounter.
Updated June 12, 2024