Using an encounter template is an efficient way to streamline your encounters. An encounter template can be configured to populate information from:
The patient's chart, provider and location information
Text and date prompts
Default text
Configured single and multi-select lists
The patient's pronouns
Configured Diagnostic codes, Billing items, Prescriptions, Forms and Qnaires
If you routinely do a type of encounter for which a template is not available, you can create your own templates.
There are two ways to apply a template: when you first open the template, or afterward. You can apply more than one template to the same encounter; new patient data variables, instant variables, and text fields appear below those from the previously applied template.
Steps
1. To apply a template when you create the encounter, start the encounter from your schedule, from the Visits dashboard, or from the patient's chart. Refer to Starting an encounter.
2. A Select Template window appears.
If you start the encounter from an appointment with a presenting issue that has a linked encounter template, the linked template will open automatically and you will not see the Select Template window.
If you do not have a configured presenting issue, and you do not see the Select Template window, you may have disabled it. Refer to Enabling skipped dialog messages or warnings for how to get it back.
3. Under Templates, choose a template from the list, or click the Search Templates field to search for and select a template.
💡 Tip: The right pane of the window shows a preview of the selected template.
4. Click Apply this template. The template populates the encounter.
📌 Note:
Default text can easily be modified or deleted. Press delete on your keyboard to remove any unwanted text, or edit as you normally would.
Configured Diagnostic codes, Billing items, Prescriptions, Forms and Qnaires can be edited or deleted. Click the trash can icon to remove them, or click the item to edit as you normally would.
Instant, patient and data variables are more complex. For more information on how to use them, refer to Using instant variables and Using data variables.
5. To apply the template after you have already opened the encounter, at the top right click Template. The Select Template window reopens. Follow the above steps starting at step 3.
For more information on encounters, refer to Overview of encounters.
Updated September 21, 2023