Tips and Tricks

In this section, you will find tips and tricks for Accuro.

In addition, look for the Tip icon  throughout this user guide for highlights on a helpful suggestion, shortcut, or best practice.

Customized Patient Flags

Customized patient flags can be displayed in the Status bar; these warn the user of any potential issues involving the current patient. These can be icons to help the user, e.g. patient is hard of hearing or to warn the user that the patient may have serious behavioral issues. An example of this is shown below:

In the example above, the following flags have been used:

is an Accuro flag showing that this patient has a -PP- (Patient Pays) invoice outstanding.

Note: If you create and use customized patient flags, remember to give staff a list so they know what they mean!

Creating Customized Patient Flags

1. Press F7, Patient Tasks.
2. Right-click anywhere on the white background and select New Flag.
3. Click .
4. To create using an existing icon click , the Edit Alert Flags window is displayed. Click and select an icon from those displayed.
5. Type in the patient flag details in the field to the right of the flag icon.
6. Click OK to save the new flag. If you have more flags to create, click and repeat from step 5.

To create a colored square icon of your choice e.g. :

1. To choose a solid square, color of your choice, click at the bottom of the Edit Alert Flags window.
2. Click .
3. Click to select the color of your choice and click OK. The colored square of your choice has been added to the flag icon manager. These can then be used to create customized patient flags as explained in the previous procedure.

Font Used in Accuro

Question: What font is used in Accuro?

Answer: Inter is the font used in the Accuro user interface. At this time, this is not modifiable. 

Change the Font Size

If you prefer to have a larger sized font, it is possible to adjust the font size two ways. This is a user preference and so only affects your Accuro account and not the entire clinic.

Through keyboard shortcut: 

1. Press and hold Ctrl on your keyboard. 
2. Press + to increase font size or - to decrease font size. 

Through User Preferences: 

1. Press and release the Alt key on your keyboard, click File and select User Preferences from the list displayed.
2. Click the Display button.
3. Click the Display tab.
4. To change the size, select the appropriate size in the dropdown of the Accuro Fonts section.
   
5. Click Apply and then OK to save the changes.

Reprint a Prescription

If a patient has lost a prescription, it is possible to re-print without having to renew the medications. Select the correct patient:

1. Click The EMR button on the Accuro Navigation bar and
2. Click the Medications tab.
3. In the section are listed all medications currently prescribed. Click to select the appropriate medication. If there is more than one, hold down the CTRL button and click on all the appropriate medications.
4. Click the Print Prescription button or right-click and select Print/Fax from the list displayed. The prescription is now displayed, select to print in your office or fax directly to the pharmacy.

Favorite Prescriptions

For medications prescribed on a regular basis, add them to the Favorite Prescriptions list. Each Provider can customize their own list with their preferred medications.

1. Click the EMR button on the Accuro Navigation bar.
2. Click , this brings up the Favorite Prescriptions window.
3. Click and type in a name for your Favorite Drug.
4. Click you are now in the Add Prescription window.
5. In the Medication Search field type in the name of the medication and click .
6. Click on the correct medication type (e.g. Advair 100 Diskus Disk/Dev) and click OK.
   
   
7. For Route click and select the route for the medication (the usual route for the drug selected should already be displayed).
8. For Drug Use click and select either Short term or Continuous.
9. In the Dosages section of the window, click and select the prescription dosages. Click OK.
10. Click OK. The drug is now in the Favorite Prescriptions windows:
    
    
11. Click OK to add to your favorites. The medication is now on your favorites list, which can be accessed by clicking . See below for an example:
    
    

Automatically Locking Letters

Letters created in Accuro are not automatically locked. If you would like the additional security of having letters locked, Accuro has an option to do this. In the security section of Accuro, letters can be set to lock after a set number of hours.

Note: If you cannot access this section of Accuro and you think you should be able to, please contact your office administrator.

1. Press and release the Alt key on your keyboard.
2. Click Users and select Manage Security from the list displayed.
3. Click the System Settings tab down the left hand side. The System Settings window is displayed with the following option:
   
   
4. Select the number of hours after which letters are to be locked.
5. Click Save Settings.

Tips for Setting up Scheduler

Correctly setting up Appointment Types in your Scheduler can save offices a lot of time when it comes to doing your billing. When appointment types are set up, link to the fee code. Then when it comes to billing the codes required are already entered.

Note: This needs to be set up for each Provider, but once it has been done, it saves a lot of time.

1. When setting up the appointment type you can enter one fee code. Where there are multiple fee codes for an appointment type, create a macro to enable multiple fee codes to be entered.

2. Codes should to be linked to the appointment type before any appointments of that type are made. If there is already an appointment made for that appointment type, change the appointment type to something else and then change it back to the appointment type with the billing codes attached. The appointment then has the correct billing codes linked.

3. Link the referring doctor when setting up the Appointment. Then this field is also completed when it comes to the billing. Make sure reception staff do this when booking an appointment for a patient.

Searching Shortcut

In any search field (e.g. Allergies) if you are not sure what you are searching for type %%% and then press the Enter key. A complete list is displayed.

Note: This works for any search field.

Scheduler Templates

To create a template for the Scheduler follow this procedure in the order shown.

1. Press and release the Alt button, click Scheduler and select Templates & Suggestions.

2. Click the Manage Templates tab.

3. Create any new suggestions needed for the template. These are the color and what will be written in the appointment slot. This is done in the area of the window highlighted red:
   
   

4. Click the Add button in the Templates area:
   

5. Type in the name of the template:
   

6. Click and select the appointment time interval:
   

7. If this is a Priority template select the Priority checkbox.

8. Select the Template and Provider(s) in the drop-lists displayed:
   
   

9. Select the appropriate suggestions and use the arrows to move them into the template. Repeat until you have the template displaying in the format you require:
   
   

Tips for Billing

1. Have Maximize Billing selected (Billing > Maximize Billing, when selected has a tick next to it). This optimizes the order of items listed in a claim to maximize the amount of money paid.
2. Use Manage procedures to set up billing details for items that are not covered by MSP e.g. sick notes and driver's medical (Billing > Options > Manage Procedures).
3. To check cut-off dates, go to your Accuro calendar it has the cut-off dates listed for the entire year.
4. Bills can be submitted as often as you like. There is no need to leave them until just before the submission cut-off dates.

View Your Cut-Off Dates

Cut-Off dates vary from Province to Province. The calendar in Accuro contains the cut-off dates for your province. These are put in the calendar by QHR for the whole year as a reminder of when submissions need to be made.

There is no need to wait until just before a cut-off date to make submissions. Submissions can be made at any time and as many times as required in a billing period. For large office, submitting daily or two/three times a week can aid to the smooth running of the office.

The cut-off dates are displayed in both the Office Calendar and the Provider Calendar.

To view cut-off dates:

1. Click the Scheduler button on the Accuro Navigation bar.
2. Click the Calendar button located at the bottom of the window.
3. Click the Office Calendar or Provider Calendar tab. The office calendar is now displayed.

Note: To make cut-off dates to be visible on the hard copy of a calendar, add them to the calendar as calendar notes. For more help on calendar notes please see Create a Calendar Note.

Export / Import from One Accuro System to Another

If the file you are exporting is going to be imported into another Accuro system then it is essential that the Accuro Extension checkbox is selected. To correctly export from one Accuro system and import into another, follow the procedures below:

To Export a File

1. Press and release the Alt key on your keyboard, click File, select Export and CDS Export from the list displayed.
2. Click the Patients tab and select the appropriate patients.
3. Click the Export Categories tab.
4. Check the Accuro extensions (Accuro to Accuro) checkbox is selected.
   
   
5. Click the Output Format tab, click the Ellipses button and specify output file location.
6. Click the Export button.

To Import a File

1. Press and release the Alt key on your keyboard, click File, select Import and CDS Import from the list displayed.
2. Click the Import Files tab and specify import file location.
3. Click the Import button.