Existing entries are assumed to have occurred in the past. The first time you chart an existing entry on a new patient, you are asked to enter the date of the patient’s first visit. If the date you enter is today’s date, Practice Works Office knows this is the patient’s first visit to your office, and these entries are attributed to “Other office.” If an earlier date is entered, the system assumes you are trying to update your electronic chart, and prompts you for the date and Producer of each entry.
If this is not the patient’s first visit, and you enter a date earlier than today as the first visit date, the Service Date for Existing Entry dialog box is displayed each time you make an existing entry. Click OK to enter existing conditions for the current visit.
If you have entered today’s date, selected an in-house Producer, and have set the mode to Chart existing, the system considers any restorative entries to be Chart completed. A dialog box pops up to remind you that the existing work done in this office will be considered completed work. This dialog box also displays at the beginning of each subsequent restorative entry. To avoid this screen, switch to Chart completed mode for entering work done today.
Selecting the Appropriate Charting Mode