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Encounters (visits)

The visit workspace keeps one OPD, walk-in, follow-up or teleconsultation visit together so the clinician can record vitals, problems, allergies, prescriptions, documents, files and vaccination details from one screen.

Who can do this: Practitioners and Doctors with encounter.read and encounter.write. Nurses or clinical staff who record vitals need vitals.write. Prescription work needs rx.read and rx.write. Restricted patients need patient.readRestricted or assigned-practitioner access. Where: Patients → patient → Start visit or Appointments → Start visit, then /app/patients/:patientId/encounters/:encounterId.

Visit workspace with patient header and tabs for vitals, problems, allergies and prescription

Before you start​

  • Register the patient first.
  • For an appointment visit, check in the appointment before clicking Start visit.
  • Make sure the Encounters, Vitals, Prescriptions, Documents Vault and Vaccination modules you need are enabled.
  • For restricted patients, ensure you are the assigned practitioner or have patient.readRestricted.

Start a visit​

  1. Open a checked-in appointment in Appointments or open the patient's details page.
  2. Click Start visit. Result: Achal opens /app/patients/:patientId/encounters/:encounterId.
  3. If the same appointment already has a visit, click Start visit again. Result: The same visit opens, not a duplicate.
  4. Check the sticky patient header. Result: It shows patient name, UHID, age/sex, Restricted record if applicable, and allergy chips.

Move around the visit workspace​

  1. Use the tab buttons: Vitals, Problems, Allergies, Prescription, Documents, Files, Vaccination.
  2. Press Alt+1…7 to switch sections quickly.
  3. When focus is on a tab, use ArrowRight, ArrowLeft, Home and End. Result: The active tab changes without leaving the visit.

Record vitals​

  1. Open Vitals.
  2. Enter any values you have: BP systolic (mmHg), BP diastolic (mmHg), Pulse (/min), Temperature (°C), SpO₂ (%), Resp. rate (/min), Height (cm), Weight (kg), Head circ. (cm) or Pain (0–10).
  3. Click Save vitals. Result: The toast says Vitals saved. BMI is calculated automatically when height and weight allow it.
  4. Use Trends and Show to view recent readings. Result: The chart shows the last readings for the selected measure.
tip

Impossible values are rejected. Abnormal but possible values are marked Abnormal so the clinician can review them.

Add problems and ICD-10 codes​

  1. Open Problems.
  2. In Search ICD-10 (code or words), type a code or words, for example J06 or fever.
  3. Use ↑/↓ and Enter to choose a result. Result: The problem is added to Problem list.
  4. Use Mark primary if the condition should be the primary problem.
  5. Change Status to Active, Resolved or Inactive as needed.
  6. Click Remove only when the problem was added by mistake.

Add allergies​

  1. Open Allergies.
  2. Fill Substance, Type, Severity and Reaction.
  3. Click Add allergy. Result: The allergy list and the header allergy banner update immediately.
  4. Use Mark inactive or Mark active to maintain old allergies.
caution

The prescription pad uses active allergies for warnings such as Patient has an active severe allergy that matches .... Keep this list current before finalising prescriptions.

Write a prescription inside the visit​

  1. Open Prescription.
  2. Follow the steps in Prescriptions. Result: Drafts, warnings, finalization and printing stay linked to this visit.

Create a clinical document from the visit​

  1. Open Documents.
  2. Choose a Template.
  3. Click Create. Result: Achal opens the clinical document editor with patient and encounter context.
  4. Use Open on an existing document to review it.
  1. Open Files to use the patient documents vault.
  2. Upload reports, scans, old prescriptions, consent images or ID proof.
  3. Open Vaccination to record or review the vaccination card.
  4. On the patient details page, use the Consents panel to Record consent or Withdraw consent.

Close a visit​

  1. Click Close visit in the top-right of the workspace.
  2. Type Visit summary (optional) if needed.
  3. Click Confirm. Result: The toast says Visit closed and the banner says This visit is closed — records are read-only.
caution

A closed visit is read-only for the visit workspace. Create a new visit for new clinical work.

Troubleshooting​

Problem / messageWhat it meansWhat to do
Could not load this visit.The encounter or patient failed to load.Click Retry. Check the patient link and permissions.
You do not have permission for this action. or FORBIDDENYour role lacks the required permission.Ask the owner to grant encounter.read, encounter.write, vitals.write, rx.write or related permissions.
PATIENT_NOT_FOUNDThe patient does not exist, is merged, or is restricted from you.Open the current patient record or ask the owner/assigned practitioner.
APPOINTMENT_PATIENT_UNLINKEDThe appointment is not linked to a patient.Link or register the patient before starting the visit.
APPOINTMENT_PATIENT_MISMATCHAppointment belongs to another patient.Open the correct appointment or patient record.
APPOINTMENT_BRANCH_MISMATCHAppointment branch conflicts with the requested branch.Start the visit from the appointment row so the correct branch is used.
ENCOUNTER_APPOINTMENT_CONFLICTAnother patient already has an encounter for that appointment.Review the appointment and patient link before continuing.
ENCOUNTER_CANCELLEDThe existing encounter for the appointment was cancelled.Create a new appropriate visit if clinically needed.
INVALID_STATE The visit is not openYou tried to close or edit a terminal visit.Use a new visit for new work.
Outside the physiological range or OUT_OF_RANGEA vital value is impossible.Correct the value.
Diastolic must be lower than systolic or BP_INCONSISTENTBlood pressure values are reversed or invalid.Fix systolic and diastolic readings.
Enter at least one value or NO_VALUESVitals save had no measurement.Enter at least one vital.
Cannot be in the future or IN_FUTUREVitals recorded time or date is future.Use a current or past time.
Enter a number or TYPEA numeric field contains text.Enter digits only.
Calculated automatically or READ_ONLYBMI was sent as a manual value.Enter height and weight; let the system calculate BMI.
No matching codesICD search found no result.Try another code or simpler words.
VERSION_CONFLICT This was changed elsewhere — reloaded the latest version.Another user changed the same record.Review the latest version and re-enter your change if still needed.