Updating patient information

You can update patient information in Ascend Academic by editing their record as necessary.

To update a patient's information

1. On a patient's Patient Information page, update a patient's information as necessary on any of the following tabs:

   

   • Basic Info

     

     1. Modify the following options as necessary:

        • First name, M.I, Last name - Enter the patient's first and last name and middle initial.

        • Preferred name - Enter the name the patient prefers you use when addressing them and for correspondence from your office.

        • Title - Enter a prefix for the patient's name, such as Dr., Mr., Ms., or Mrs.

        • Suffix - Enter a suffix for the patient's name, such as Jr., Sr., or III., if applicable.

        • Gender - Select the patient's gender.

        • Birthdate - Enter the patient's date of birth.

        • Status - Select Active, Non-Patient, Inactive, or Duplicate as the patient's status.

          Note: Changing the patient's status to or from Duplicate requires the Manage duplicate patients security right.

        • Ethnicity - Select the patient's ethnicity.

        • Financial Status - Select the patient's financial status.

        • Special Needs - Select the patient's special needs, if applicable.

        • Chart # - ClickTap the Edit icon to enable the fields and enter a unique chart number for the patient or clicktap the Update icon to generate a chart number automatically for the patient.

          Notes:

          • The chart number can be a maximum of 10 characters in length. Letters, numbers, periods, and dashes are all permitted.

          • Editing a chart number requires the Edit patient chart # security right.

        • First visit - This is the date of the patient's first visit. This date is for reference only and cannot be edited. It is set automatically when you post a completed procedure for a new patient.

        • Last visit - This is the date of the patient's most recent past appointment. This date is for reference only and cannot be edited. This date updates automatically when you post a completed procedure for a patient.

        • Social Security # - If necessary, enter the patient's Social Security Number for patient financing and insurance coverage verification purposes and clicktap the button.

          

          Note: If a Social Security Number has not been entered yet, hash tags (#) display in the field.

          Important: 

          • Typically the SSN is masked. If you clicktap the icon to view/edit the number, and there is no activity for five seconds, a timer bar displays below the field. If another 15 seconds elapses without any activity, the SSN is automatically masked.

          • SSNs are encrypted in the database and no reports utilize SSNs. You can view a patient's SSN on the Patient Information page only if your user account has the Access Social Security # security right. The Update patient information security right is also required to add or edit the SSN.

        • Primary provider - Select the preferred or primary provider for this patient.

          Only providers who have access to the patient's preferred location are available. If a icon displays with an (inactive) label beside the provider's name, the provider is no longer active.

          

          You must assign a new primary provider that is active or remove the inactive provider to save your changes.

          Note: If a provider is associated with the patient but no longer has access to the current location, they are available in the list unless you select a different provider and save the change.

        • Discount plan - Select a fee schedule to use for treatment-planned procedures and charges that are billed to this patient if the patient does not have insurance coverage.

          The difference between the provider's fee for a given procedure (or if there is no provider fee, the default fee) and the discount fee displays as a credit adjustment on the ledger. However, if the patient has insurance coverage, the selected discount fee schedule is ignored.

        • Billing Type - Select the patient's billing type.

        • Fee Schedule - Select a fee schedule to use for the patient level. If set, the patient-level fee schedule overrides all other fee schedules (Provider, Insurance, or Location Fee Schedules) to calculate:

          • Treatment amounts on procedures.

          • What the patient owes.

          • What insurance will cover.

          Note: You cannot set a patient up with both a discount plan and a patient-level fee schedule. If attempted, a Validation Error window displays.

        • This patient is confidential - Select the checkbox to set the patient as a confidential patient.

          Note: You can only save a patient as confidential patient if you have the View confidential patient security right.

        • Address - Enter the street address, city, state, and ZIP code of the patient's residence. All correspondence is sent to this address unless the patient is not the guarantor; in which case, bills, account statements, and other financial documents will be sent to the guarantor's address.

          Tip: To copy the address of another household member to this patient record, click tap the Address, City, State, or ZIP Code field, and clicktap the Copy icon next to a household member. Only the address of the primary contact and other household members (if different) are available.

          

          

        • Phone number - Select a phone type (Home, Mobile, Work, or Other), and enter the correct Number and Ext (if applicable) for the patient.

          Tips:

          • To add another phone number, clicktap Add Phone.

          • To copy the phone number of another household member, clicktap a phone number field and clicktap the Copy icon next to a household member. Only the first (primary) phone number of the primary contact and other household members (if different) are available.

            

          • To change the priority of the patient's phone numbers, clicktap the Move Up icon. To remove a phone number, clicktap the Remove icon.

            Note: These icons are not available for the primary phone number.

            

          • If you enter a mobile number and clicktap Save, Automated Text Reminders displays below along with a status message (Yes or Carrier not Supported) to indicate whether the number is verified as a supported mobile number.

            Note: If the patient already has a mobile number entered, the status message next to the Automated Text Reminders text can be No if the patient is primary contact for themself or others and opted out of receiving reminders (any other patients with the same primary contact are also opted out).

            

            The patient's text message reminder status also displays on the patient's appointments in the upper-right corner and on the Contact Info tab.

          • Once a supported mobile number is entered and saved, the patient is opted in for automated text message reminders, as are any other patients with them as their primary contact or the same mobile number.

            Important: If the patient has someone else as their primary contact, the contact must opt in and have a supported mobile number before the patient can receive text message reminders.

          • If you do not have patient consent, or a patient no longer wants to receive text messages, you can set the phone number type to Home to turn off reminders for the patient. Patients can opt-out by texting STOP to 45827 from their mobile phones. Any patients with this patient as their primary contact or with the same mobile number entered in their patient records are also opted out.

        • Email - Enter the patient's email address.

          Notes:

          • An error icon displays next to the Email field if the patient is their own guarantor, the Preferred Contact Method on the Preference tab is set to Email me, and an email address is not entered. You can click the icon to display an Error window. You must enter an email address or change the preferred contact method to remove the icon.

          • If the patient has someone else as their primary contact, the primary contact's email address displays by default, but you can click Add Patient Email to enter another email address if necessary.

            This email address is for reference only and will not be used to reach out to the patient through the automated Patient Communications system.

            

          • If you add an email address to a patient record for the first time, the patient is their own guarantor, and their Preferred Billing Statement Delivery Method is set to By Mail, an Update Billing Method window displays when you click Save and you are prompted to update the preferred billing statement delivery method to Email.

          

          • A warning icon displays next to the Email field if the email address is a duplicate and already used in Ascend Academic. You can click the icon to whose email has been duplicated and a link to that person.

            There are common cases in which patients may share the same primary contact and therefore will have the same email address.

            Example: Family or group situations.

        • Emergency Contact - Enter the patient's emergency contact information.

          • First name, Last name - Enter the emergency contact's first and last name.

          • Phone type, Phone number - Enter the emergency contact's phone type and number.

          • Relationship to patient - Enter the emergency contact's relationship to patient.

          Note: The Emergency Contact section does not display for simulation patients.

     2. ClickTap Save.

   • Related Patients

     

     • Primary Contact - To change the primary contact person for the patient, clicktap the Edit icon. In the search field, enter the contact's name to narrow the results, then select the appropriate name from the list or clicktap Switch to "Self" to make the patient you are viewing the primary contact.

       

       Note: If the primary contact is someone other than this patient, the name and Preferred Contact Method of the patient's primary contact display on the Patient Information ribbon.

     • Add New Member - To add a patient record for another member of the same household, clicktap Add New Member.

       Note: A household is a group of patients who have the same primary contact person. The complete list of household members is available when you are viewing the patient record of any member of a given household.

     • Secondary Contact - To add a secondary contact person for the patient, clicktap Add Secondary Contact. In the Select Patient field, enter the contact's name to narrow the results, then select the appropriate name from the list.

     • Primary Guarantor - To change the primary person who is financially responsible for the account, click the Edit icon. In the search field, enter the guarantor's name to narrow the results, then select the appropriate name from the list or clicktap Switch to "Self" to make the patient you are viewing the primary guarantor.

       

       Note: If the current patient is the guarantor, that patient and all patients for whom that patient is the guarantor display in the list. If the current patient is not the guarantor, only the guarantor and the patient display in the list.

     • Secondary Guarantor - To add a secondary person who is financially responsible for the account, clicktap Add Secondary Guarantor. In the Select Patient field, enter the secondary guarantor's name to narrow the results, then select the appropriate name from the list.

   • Medical Alerts

     

     ClickTap Add Medical Alert to attach medical alerts to the patient's record.

   • Patient Forms

     

     • To request forms from the patient, clicktap Request Forms.

     • To view completed forms, expand the section of a form type that has completed forms, and clicktap a form.

     • To change the due date of a form, clicktap the corresponding Editicon.

   • Preferences

     

     1. Set the following options:

        • Preferred Contact Method - Select a radio button to indicate how the patient wants to be contacted.

          • Call me: If selected, the patient wants to be contacted by phone and if a phone number is not already entered for the patient, enter a phone number in the field that displays.

          • Text me: If selected, the patient wants to be contacted by text message and if a mobile phone number is not already entered for the patient, enter a mobile phone number in the field that displays.

          • Email me: If selected, the patient wants to be contacted by email message and if an email address is not already entered for the patient, enter an email address in the field that displays.

          Note: These options are available only if the patient is their own primary contact. Currently, this information is for reference only.

          Important: If someone else is the patient's primary contact, the preferred contact options are not available. You can click the name of the primary contact person shown to view or change their preferred contact method.

          

          Notes:

          • The selected preferred contact method displays on the Patient Information ribbon, which is available when you are viewing the patient's record.

            

          • If someone else is the patient's primary contact, the name and contact method of the primary contact display on the Patient Information ribbon.

            

          • The preferred contact method does not impact whether the patient receives automated reminders as text or email messages.

        • Text Messages - Select Yes or No to indicate whether this patient and any patients with this patient as their primary contact will receive manual text messages and automated text message reminders for appointments and recare.

          Notes:

          • This field is available only if a supported mobile phone number has been entered on the Basic Info tab for the patient and the patient is their own primary contact.

          • Automated text message reminders for this patient and any patients with this patient as their primary contact will be sent to the mobile number displayed. If the patient has multiple mobile numbers, the first one listed on the Basic Info tab will be used.

          • If No is already selected, the date that the patient opted out displays. Any other patients with this patient as their primary contact or the same mobile number entered in their patient records are also opted out.

          • If you select No and clicktap Save, the patient is opted out, and the current date displays next to the No option. A text message, stating that the patient has been opted out, is also sent to the patient's mobile phone. Any other patients with this patient as their primary contact or with the same mobile number entered in their patient records are also opted out. The primary contact can resume receiving text messages for the entire household by texting RESUME to 45827.

        • Preferred Language - Select the patient's preferred language.

          Note: English is the default language. If the preference is a language other than English, the selected language displays on the Patient Information ribbon when you view the patient's record.

        • Preferred Location - Select the office that the patient prefers to receive treatment at.

        • Preferred Appointment Day/Time - Select the checkboxes that correspond to the days of the week and/or times that the patient prefers to have their appointments.

          Note:  The days that are available correspond to the working days set up on your practice's schedule. The preferred days and times display when you are scheduling an appointment for the patient.

          

        • Preferred Billing Statement Delivery Method - Select the By Mail or By Email radio button to set the patient's billing preference.

          Note: If the patient is not their own primary guarantor, the Preferred Billing Statement Delivery Method field displays See [primary contact name] for delivery preferences. You must click primary contact name link to open the primary contact's Patient Information page > Preferences tab.

     2. ClickTap Save.

   • Referrals

     Complete one of the following:

     • In the Referred By search field, enter all or part of the source (patient, professional, marketing, or other) that referred this patient to your practice, then clicktap the appropriate source's name in the list.

       

     • To remove an existing referral source from the patient's record, clicktap the Remove icon next to the referral's name.

   • Notes

     

     ClickTap Add Note to enter any notes specific to the patient to the patient's record.

     Note: These notes will display in the patient's Overview page > Patient Notes widget. This field has a 5000-character limit.