Using the OrthoTrac Word Processing Module > Setting Up Letters
The letters in the word processing module cover a variety of uses within an orthodontic practice. Each letter you add, depending on the type of letter and the addressee, can have both a patient version and a responsible party version. You also have several choices as to the formality of the salutations used in your letters.
Click here to view descriptions of addressee types.
Click here for view descriptions of salutation types. More...
To add a letter:
Click the Word Processing button from the main menu. The Word Processing menu is displayed. Select Letter Setup.
OR
Select Functions > Word Processing > Letter Setup. The Letter Setup window is displayed.
The Letter Setup window displays the existing letters in the system. The function buttons in the window enable you to perform the following tasks.
Click Add New Letter. The Add Letter window is displayed.
In the Letter Description field, type a description for the letter.
In the Addressee field, select the persons to whom the letter is addressed. Click here for a description of addressee types.
In the Salutation field, select the appropriate salutation. Click here for a description of salutation types.
In the Signature field, select who will sign the letter, Doctor or Staff.
In the Language field, select the language in which the letter is to be written.
In the Envelopes section, select None or Print Separately. If you select Print Separately, the software prompts you to print the envelope after the letter is printed.
Click Responsible Letter to add the text for the responsible party version of the letter. The Add New Letter window is displayed.
The Add New Letter window defaults to the template for the type of letter you are adding. Example
Use the Import button to import letter text from other Microsoft Word documents.
Microsoft Word opens, and the letter is displayed with the date, inside name, address, and salutation. The body of the letter is indicated by highlighted text stating, Replace this line with the body of the letter. Begin typing the letter to delete the highlighted text.
The software assigns the letter a name — do not change it. This name is different from the Letter Description you gave the letter.
To merge patient information into the letter, click the desired OrthoTrac merge field button to display one of the merge field windows.
Select the merge fields you want to include. Click OK.
To view the portion of the list containing the merge fields you want to insert, type the first letter of the merge field name in the box, and the software scrolls to that portion of the list.
To merge gender-specific information into the letter, click the appropriate gender button to display one of the gender text fields.
Select the option button next to the pronouns you want to insert and click OK.
When you are setting up a letter and select the pronoun option for the patient or responsible party, the pronoun merge field in the letter is displayed as her, regardless of the gender you selected. The software uses the gender entered in the Sex field on the patient chart to determine the appropriate pronoun to insert for the patient or the responsible party. To insert gender-neutral pronouns in a letter, the patient or responsible party must have Unspecified entered in the Sex field on the patient chart.
To add custom male or female gender text, select the Custom option button and type the information in the Male Text or Female Text fields in the Custom section.
After adding a letter, check your spelling and grammar, using the Microsoft Word spell-check program.
The spell-check program does NOT check or correct misspellings in any merged information fields.
Click the Save and Close button to save your letter and exit Word. You can also select File > Exit or click the close box in the upper-right corner of the window. Select Yes at the prompt to save the letter. The software returns you to the Add Letter window.
Click Add Patient Letter to add the text for the patient version of the letter. The Add Letter window is displayed. To avoid having to re-type a large portion of the same letter, you can copy your first letter and then make changes to it.
Click Yes to copy the letter.
Edit the letter as necessary, using the steps listed above.
Click the Save and Close button to save your letter and exit Word. You can also select File > Exit or click the close box in the upper-right corner of the window. Select Yes at the prompt to save the letter. The software returns you to the Add Letter window.
Click OK to close the Add Letter window.
The software does not save your letter unless you click OK on the Add Letter window.
OrthoTrac Word Processing Module Merge Fields