---
title: How to Manage a Patient Visit in Helix (From Screening to Discharge)
description: This article explains how a patient visit progresses in Helix from Screening to In Service and finally Discharge, and outlines what doctors can access and manage at each stage of the visit lifecycle.
---
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December 25, 2025
# How to Manage a Patient Visit in Helix (From Screening to Discharge)
## This article explains how a patient visit progresses in Helix from Screening to In Service and finally Discharge, and outlines what doctors can access and manage at each stage of the visit lifecycle.
### 🏥 Patient Entry After Screening
Once Screening is completed, the patient appears in **Today’s Admissions** on the Home screen.
#### **📋 What is shown in Today’s Admissions**
The patient panel displays:
- Patient file number
- Patient name
- Time of admission
- **Original booking time** (if the visit was booked)
- **Walk-in flag** (if the visit was not booked)
- External referral (if assigned)
- Insurance company name or contract name
---
### 🧾 Services Panel During a Visit
For each admitted patient, the **Services panel** lists all services the patient is scheduled to receive.
#### **⚡ Available quick actions per service**
- **Screening** – opens the Screening page
- **Open Medical Chart** – launches the provider’s chart
- **Sign Consent** – captures a consent signature
- **Send to PACS** – sends data to PACS
These actions are available directly from the Home screen.
---
### 🔁 Moving a Patient from Screening to In Service
After Screening:
- The patient remains visible under **Today’s Admissions**
- The visit status shows **Screening**
#### **▶️ To move the patient to In Service:**
1. Locate the patient under **Today’s Admissions**
2. Click **Send to Doctor**
The patient status updates from **Screening** to **In Service**.
---
### 🩺 Accessing the Medical Chart During the Visit
Once the patient is **In Service**, doctors can open the Medical Chart from the Services panel.
- Click **Open Medical Chart** (blue button)
- The Medical Chart opens over the Home screen
- Doctors can continue documenting while the patient remains In Service
(Details of chart navigation and layout are covered in a separate article.)
---
### 🧠 Visit Status Visibility During Care
During the visit:
- The patient status reflects where they are in the workflow
- The Medical Chart, Patient Management options, and Timeline are available based on role permissions
- All clinical actions performed during this stage are recorded against the visit
---
### 🧾 Discharge: Completing the Visit
#### **❓ Why discharge matters**
- Discharge indicates that the patient has **left the facility**
- This is especially important for **outpatient and day-care surgery clinics**
- Discharge aligns with **NABIDH expectations** for accurate encounter status
#### **👤 Who typically discharges the patient**
- Ideally, the **last person who sees the patient**
- Usually **Reception or Cashier**
#### **⏱️ Timing**
- Patients should be discharged **as soon as they leave**
- Patients should not remain overnight in outpatient or day-care workflows
---
### ✏️ Editing a Visit After Discharge
#### **🕑 Post-discharge access rules**
- **Doctors** can enter or edit notes **up to 48 hours after discharge**
- **Nurses** can access their Screening page **for 24 hours after discharge**
#### **📌 Important note**
- A note is editable **only by the user who created it**
---
### 🔄 Editing a Visit After the Discharge List Resets
The Discharge list resets every **24 hours**.
### **🧭 If the patient no longer appears under Discharge:**
1. Use the **Search Patient** bar
2. Find the patient and select **Open File**
3. Open **Medical History** under the demographics ribbon
4. Select the visit and click **Edit Visit**
- If **Edit Visit** is not visible, the **48-hour edit window has expired**
5. The Clinic Record opens in a new tab
6. Make the required changes and **Save**
7. Confirm updates appear in the Medical History panel
---
### 📝 Using Follow-Up Notes After the Edit Window
#### **📌 When Follow-Up Notes should be used**
- After the **48-hour edit window** closes
- For post-visit communication such as:
- Doctor callbacks
- Patient queries
- Lab or test result updates
- Medication clarifications
- Status updates
#### **🎯 Purpose**
- Maintains a clear **medico-legal timeline**
- Avoids reopening or re-admitting the visit
### 🧭 How to add a Follow-Up Note
1. Open **Patient File → Medical History**
2. Select the relevant visit
3. Click **Add Follow-Up Notes**
4. Enter the note and **Add**
The note is:
- Date- and time-stamped
- Editable or deletable later if needed
---
### 📝 Notes
- Patient status transitions are visible on the Home screen
- Discharge does not prevent doctors from editing within the allowed window
- Follow-Up Notes are used instead of editing once the edit window expires
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