Welcome to our guide on how to configure your Smart Encounter form!
This guide is perfect for those who are new to Smart Encounter or for those who need a refresher on how to update their configurations.
Enabling the Smart Encounter Form
The first step to configuring Smart Encounter is to enable the form. If you can't find Smart Encounter under the 'Forms' section in your patients' eChart, it's likely that the form has not yet been enabled in your system. Here's how you can enable it:
- Select Administration > Forms/eForms > Select Forms
- Locate and highlight Smart Encounter in the All Available Forms list > Add. This will move the form to the ‘Selected Forms’ section which shows all enabled forms.
Note: You can re-order the enabled forms as needed by clicking on the form you want to move in the list in the ‘Selected Forms’ section, then using the ‘Move Up’ and ‘Move Down’ buttons on the far right.
Creating a Smart Encounter Template
You have enabled your Smart Encounter form! Now, let’s create your first template. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
- Select Administration > Forms/eForms > Smart Template Form Settings
- Click on the ‘Add New’ button located towards the top right to start building a new template.
- Template Name – Enter the name of your template as will be shown on the Smart Encounter form.
- Body – Enter the text you want to include in the body of your Smart Encounter letter.
- Database Tags – Click on any of the entries in the database tag list to add them where your cursor is currently located on the template. Use the scroll bar to see all available options or use the ‘Filter Placeholders’ field at the top of the database tags area (identified in purple in the screenshot above) to quickly narrow down the list of options. The placeholder will populate the patient information when accessed from the patient's chart.
- Add Fill In Marker («») – Click on the ‘Add Fill In Marker («»)’ button to add spacers in your template. This will identify space left for free typing.
- Default Header/Footer – Use the dropdown menus at the top of the page if you'd like to select the default header and footer to be applied when this template is selected.
- Save button towards the bottom left of the page to save your newly created template. And voilà! You now have a saved template! You will see there is an Edit option to the right should you need to make any changes once you have tested this on a patient.
Creating a Shortcode
Shortcodes are a versatile tool designed to be used within an in-progress Smart Encounter letter. Unlike templates, short codes can be added after a template has been selected on the letter itself, making them very flexible and allowing you to further customize your templates as needed.
To create a new short code, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Heading back into Administration > Forms/eForms > Smart Template Form Settings
- Locate the Short Codes section which can be found just under the Templates section, then click on Add New
- Short Code Name – Enter the short code name you wish to use. It is recommended to use short and easy-to-remember names, as the names will serve as your shortcuts to add each short code to letters!
- Body – In the large text box, enter the text you want to add as part of this short block. Spacers and database tags can be inserted in the short codes just like they are in the template.
- Save button located towards the bottom left to save your new Short Code. You will see the Edit option to the right should you need to make any changes once you have tested it on a patient.
Configuring Headers and Footers
Creating and managing headers and footers is an important aspect of using the Smart Encounter form to write letters for patients. Fortunately, the process of creating headers and footers is simple and straightforward. Here's how to create a header or footer:
- Heading back into Administration > Forms/eForms > Smart Template Form Setting.
- Locate the Headers and Footers sections which can be found just under the Templates section, then click Add New.
- Fill in the details of your short code on the ‘Edit Header’ / ‘Edit Footer’ page:
Header / Footer Name – Enter the name associated with the header/footer. This will be the name appearing in the drop-down menus when selecting them in templates or on the Smart Encounter form itself.
Body – In the large text box, create the header/footer text you want to insert when using these entries. An example might be that you want the patient name on each page in case of multiple pages so you create to add patient name.
By taking the time to create and manage you templates, you can save yourself a lot of time when writing letters for patients using the Smart Encounter form. These simple steps can help streamline your workflow and ensure that you're able to create high-quality letters quickly and efficiently.
Congratulations! You have created both templates, short codes and configured headers and footers. Your initial configuration of the Smart Encounter is complete! You can always come back to the ‘Smart Template Form Settings’ section to edit your existing templates and short codes or create new ones as the need arises.
It's time to learn how to use them in the next part of our guide to Smart Encounter!