Using General Letters

Version 20.4
Path: Clinical, Practice Management, or Billing tab > Patient Chart button > General Letters

Overview

General Letters are used to write a letter on behalf of a patient. Typical uses for General Letters include when you need to communicate a patient's PE class restrictions, or if the patient was advised to miss school without being seen in the office. General Letters can be archived for the patient or saved as a template for later use. They can be printed or sent to a patient's active portal account. General Letters can only be sent to the portal by practice staff who have an associated user account on the InteliChart Practice Portal.

Creating a General Letter

  1. Navigate to the patient's General Letters by following the path above.
  2. Click the Add  button. 

  1. In the Date Sent field, use the drop-down menu to select the date the letter is being printed or sent to the portal.
  2. Enter the Addressee (To:) information from one of the options below.
  • Click the Select from Address book button if you are sending a letter to an entry in your Address Book.
  • Click the Copy Patient's Address button . This copies the patient's information into the Addressee (To:) field.
  • Type the information in the Addressee (To:) field.
  1. Click into the Patient information field and click the Pat Name button (optional). This button is only available when the letter is not addressed to the patient.
  2. Click into the Regarding field and enter the purpose of the letter or click the Phrase Construction button.
  3. Click into the Salutation field and enter the salutation of the letter or click the Phrase Construction button.
  4. Enter the letter content in the Body of letter field. 

Note: Phrase Construction is available in several fields in the General Letter Writer and is indicated by the Phrase Construction button . You may want to consider building your Phrase Construction library to suit the needs of your General Letter entries. For more information on Phrase Construction, click here.

  1. The Signed by field populates with the user creating the letter. Enter another Staff Member or Provider if necessary into that field. 
  2. The Signature title field is used to add the staff's title, such as Billing Manager, Office Manager, etc.
  3. Click the Save button .
  4. (Optional) If sending to the portal, complete the following:
  1. Select the Share to Portal checkbox.
  2. Use the Portal Exp Date drop-down to select an expiration date, if different from the default.
  3. Click the Print button. The Located in OP Reports window is displayed.
  4. Select General_Letter and click OK.
  5.  The Print window is displayed.
  6. Select the Print to File checkbox and ensure that PDF File is selected in the Type field.
  7. Click OK.
  1. Click the Print button. 
  2. The Located in OP Reports window displays, select General_Letter, click OK.
  3. Proceed with printing the letter.

NoteIf sending to the portal, the letter is sent as a PDF and is available until the date selected. After the specified date, if the portal user attempts to view the document, they will receive a message informing them to contact the practice.

Archiving a Letter

  1. After saving your letter, click the Archive Letter button.
  2. Click the Yes button in the Confirmation dialog box. The patient's archived letters can be found in the Archived Letters tab.

Note: To use an Archived Letter as a template for a new letter, click the Archived Letters tab, highlight the letter you wish to use and click the Apply to Current Letter button. Update the letter as needed.

Saving a Letter as a Template

  1. After saving your letter, click the Make Template button, the Template Letters tab is displayed.
  2. Double-click the Template.
  3. Enter a Template Description in the field and remove any patient specific information.
  4. Click the Save button.

Using a Template Letter

  1. Click the Template Letters tab.
  2. Select the Letter Title in the list.
  3. Click Use Selected Template button. 
  4. Click the Yes button in the Confirmation dialog box.  

Delete a Template Letter

  1. Click the Template Letters tab.
  2. Double-click to select the template to delete
  3. Click the Delete button. 
  4. Click the Yes button in the Confirmation dialog box.  
Version 20.3

Overview

The General Letter can be used for writing a letter on behalf of a patient. It is especially handy when having to create a letter for a patient who has limited physical education class restrictions or for a patient who was advised to miss school without being seen in the office. For insurance company communications, the patient's insurance information can appear. General Letters can also be archived for the patient or made a template for later use.

Creating a General Letter

  1. Click the Patient Chart button.
  2. Search for and select a Patient
  3. Select General Letters from the Communication section of the Window Navigation Panel.
  4. Click the Add  button. 

  1. Enter the Addressee (To:) information from one of the options below.
  • Click the Select from Address book button if you are sending a letter to an entry in your Address Book.
  • Click the Copy Patient's Address button . This copies the patient's information into the Addressee (To:) field.
  • Type the information in the Addressee (To:) field.
  1. Click into the Patient information field and click the Pat Name button (optional). This button is only available when the letter is not addressed to the patient.
  2. Click into the Regarding field and enter the purpose of the letter or click the Phrase Construction button.
  3. Click into the Salutation field and enter the salutation of the letter or click the Phrase Construction button.
  4. Enter the letter content in the Body of letter field. 

Note: Phrase Construction is available in several fields in the General Letter Writer and is indicated by the Phrase Construction button . You may want to consider building your Phrase Construction library to suit the needs of your General Letter entries. For more information on Phrase Construction, click here.

  1. The Signed by field populates with the user creating the letter. Enter another Staff Member or Provider if necessary into that field. 
  2. The Signature title field is used to add the staff's title, such as Billing Manager, Office Manager, etc.
  3. Click the Save button .
  4. Click the Print button.
  5. The Located in OP Reports window displays, select General_Letter, click OK.

Archiving a Letter

  1. After saving your letter, click the Archive Letter button.
  2. Click the Yes button in the Confirmation dialog box. The patient's archived letters can be found in the Archived Letters tab.

Note: To use an Archived Letter as a template for a new letter, click the Archived Letters tab, highlight the letter you wish to use and click the Apply to Current Letter button. Update the letter as needed.

Saving a Letter as a Template

  1. After saving your letter, click the Make Template button, the Template Letters tab is displayed.
  2. Double-click the Template.
  3. Enter a Template Description in the field and remove any patient specific information.
  4. Click the Save button.

Using a Template Letter

  1. Click the Template Letters tab.
  2. Select the Letter Title in the list.
  3. Click Use Selected Template button. 
  4. Click the Yes button in the Confirmation dialog box.  

Delete a Template Letter

  1. Click the Template Letters tab.
  2. Double-click to select the template to delete
  3. Click the Delete button. 
  4. Click the Yes button in the Confirmation dialog box.