How to Close, Edit, and Follow Up on a Patient Visit

🧾 Discharging a Patient

❓ Why discharge matters

• Discharge indicates that the patient has left the facility

• In outpatient and day-care surgery clinics, patients should not remain overnight

• 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

⏱️ When to discharge

• Discharge patients as soon as they leave the clinic

✏️ Editing a Visit After Discharge

🕒 Access rules after discharge

• Doctors can enter or edit notes up to 48 hours after discharge

• Nurses can access their Screening page for 24 hours after discharge

Note: A note can be edited only by the user who created it.

🧭 Editing a Visit from the Discharge Tab (Same Day)

1. On the Home screen, open the Discharge tab

2. Select the patient

3. Click Open Medical Record

4. Make the required edits and Save

🔄 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 at the top

2. Find the patient and select Open File

3. Under the demographics ribbon, open Medical History

4. Select the relevant 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 that updates appear in the Medical History panel, then close the tab

📝 Using Follow-Up Notes

📌 When Follow-Up Notes should be used

Follow-Up Notes are used after the 48-hour edit window closes.

Typical scenarios include:

• Doctor callbacks

• Patient queries

• Lab or test result updates

• Medication clarifications

• Any post-visit status update

🎯 Purpose of Follow-Up Notes

• Maintains a clear medico-legal timeline

• Keeps updates linked to the original encounter

• 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 click Add

🗂️ Follow-Up Note behavior

• Notes are date- and time-stamped

• Notes can be edited or deleted later if required

📝 Notes

• Discharge completes the visit workflow in Helix

• Doctors retain limited edit access after discharge

• Follow-Up Notes are used instead of editing once the edit window expires