Signing an encounter places it in a locked state, and you cannot modify it.
For letters, if you have the preference enabled to prevent edits to a signed letter, the letter is locked and you cannot modify it after it has been signed.
In both cases, a user with the appropriate permissions can unlock the encounter or letter to make any changes or delete it. Refer to User permissions for more information.
💡 Tip: If you just need to add a note or explanation to an encounter, you can create an addendum without unlocking it. Refer to Adding an addendum to an encounter for more information.
Steps
1. Open the patient's list of Encounters or Letters from the Start/Open menu or from the Quick Menu in the dashboard view of the chart.
💡 Tip: Signed encounters have a feather icon in the Concern column.
2. Click the signed encounter or letter to open it and then click Unlock in the top right.
3. Click Okay in the confirmation window that appears.
4. The encounter or letter appears as it did before being signed, with the following changes from its signed state:
Uncompleted instant and data variables reappear.
In encounters, the +Add Addendum button disappears, but you can still read any previous addendums.
In encounters, sections that did not appear in the signed encounter because they did not have any information in them reappear.
5. You can now update the encounter or letter, or delete it. Once you are done, you must sign the encounter or letter again.
💡 Tip: At the top of an encounter or letter, beside the created date, you can see how many times it has been unlocked. Click Unlocked x time to see the history.
Updated January 23, 2025