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It can sometimes occur that a new patient record is accidentally created for a patient who already exists in your Gentu database. If this happens, you can merge the two patient records together.
From the navigation panel, select Patients to open your patients list. Then, use the search bar at the top of the list to search for the patient by name.
When you have found the two records you wish to merge, tick the box in the far left-hand column for both patient records.
You will see two new buttons appear at the top right-hand side of the patients list - Merge and Cancel. Click Merge.
A new window will open.
Within this window, you will see a summary of the two patient records that you have selected for merging.
If there are discrepancies in the patient's identifying information (their name, date of birth, Medicare number, or mobile phone number), then Gentu will alert you to this with a "Conflicts Found" notification.
This is to help prevent the accidental merging of patients - for example if you have two patients who happen to have the same name, but have different Medicare card numbers and dates of birth.
Please note: it is not possible to undo a patient merge. Therefore, you should very carefully double-check the information of the patients you are merging.
One of the records in this window will be highlighted and marked with the text "Keep This".
You can click on either of the two patient summaries to select which record is marked as "Keep this".
The patient that you have marked as Keep This is considered the primary patient record by Gentu.
When the merge occurs, if there are discrepancies in the data entered into each patient file, then the primary patient record data will take precedence over the data from the duplicate, or secondary, patient record.
If there is data present in the duplicate/secondary record which is not present in the primary patient record, then this information will be transferred and saved into the primary patient record.
When you are ready to proceed, simply click Merge to complete the merge.
Gentu will return you to the patients list, showing the newly merged patient record.
Example 1
When merging the patients below, the patient record marked "Keep This" has the patient's first name recorded as "Jonathan". The secondary patient record has the patient's first name recorded as "Jon". When these two records are merged, the "Keep This" record will take precedence, so the patient's first name will be updated to "Jonathan" when merged.
Example 2
The primary patient record does not have a mobile phone number listed for the patient. The secondary patient record has the patient's mobile phone number recorded. When the two records are merged, the mobile phone number will be merged into the patient's final record.
> Which patient should I mark as "Keep this"?
It is up to you to decide which patient is marked as the primary "keep this" record. If there is one patient who has more detailed information recorded in their file, generally you would want to mark this patient as the primary record.
> Can I merge three or more patients at a time?
It is only possible to merge two patient records together. If you need to merge three or more patient records together, you would need to work through them merging two at a time.
> What information does Gentu keep in the merge?
The following fields will be merged untouched (i.e. they will be preserved and transferred exactly as is, and combined with any existing records):
- All clinical entries (consults, correspondence, diagnostic reports, procedures, attachments)
- Referrals
- Third party claims
- To Do tasks
- Recalls
- Appointmetns
- Admin notes
- Audit details
- Invoices
- Quotes
- Deposits
For all or most other fields, such as for those in Patient Details, Gentu will use an intelligent comparison algorithm to determine if it should be merged or not.
Gentu will do its best to preserve all information available, however if there are differences in information recorded in each file's Patient Details, the information in the primary patient record - the record marked "Keep this" - will take precedence.
For example, if each file has a separate mobile phone numbers recorded, then after the patients are merged, the mobile phone number recorded in the primary patient record will be retained.
> I have accidentally merged the wrong patient records, can I unmerge or undo this?
At this time it is not possible to undo a patient merge.
> I cannot see the tickboxes or the Merge button in the Patients list.
If you cannot see the Merge options available in the Patients list, it suggests that your user role does not have the appropriate permissions needed to merge patients. Please see this article for more information on user roles.