Note Signature Restrictions

Introduction

This feature allows increased security around note signing and modifications. When active, the feature does three things:

1. Renames “lock”/“unlock” button to “sign”/“amend” - this is purely a change in copy.
2. Restricts ability to “sign”/“amend” note to only the provider for the note. (the person with whom an appointment was scheduled / the person who created the note if it was not an appointment). As a result, with this feature active, it is no longer possible for a user other than the rendering provider to lock a note and thereby append the rendering provider’s digitized signature to the printed note PDF.
3. Displays a historical log next to commands and in the signatures section of the note print out. The signature section log includes details of when the note was signed or amended  and if the latest version is signed or unsigned. The command log displays the last modification made to the command. Historical logs are timestamped and display the installation timezone of that specific instance.

Key Objectives

• You will learn how to enable note signature restrictions.
• You will learn how to sign a note.
• You will learn how to amend a note.
• You will learn how changes are documented in the printed note.

FAQ

Q: Can a note provider be changed?

A: A note provider can be changed with the triple dot in the note header for all note types besides chart review. 

Step By Step

Enable Restrictions

• Begin in the Schedule
• Locate and Select the triple line menu 
• Locate and Select Settings
• Locate and Select Config under the Constance heading
• Locate RESTRICT_NOTE_SIGNING_TO_PROVIDER under the Clinical Signature Restrictions section
• Check the box under the column to enable this setting
• Select
• Ensure a message stating “live settings have been updated successfully” is displayed
  

When signature restrictions are enabled, notes display  or instead of or .

Signing a Note

  and buttons will only be enabled for the provider that is linked to that specific note. The provider's name, who can sign or amend the note, will be displayed in the header details. 

Rendering Provider 

• Complete documentation within the desired note
• Select button which should be enabled for the rendering provider only. 

Other staff

• Complete documentation within the desired note
• Leave the note open for the rendering provider to sign the note

or

• Change the note provider to yourself in order to sign the note, if appropriate

For users who are not the provider of the note the sign button is disabled and a warning is displayed stating that only the provider of the note can sign.

Amending a Note (Rendering Provider Only)

• Locate desired locked note 
• Select to add or edit previous documentation

Print view of documented changes 

Enabling the RESTRICT_NOTE_SIGNING_TO_PROVIDER setting will display the historical log of when the note was signed or amended at the bottom of the print out and if the latest version is signed or unsigned. It will also display the last modification and time stamp next to each command.

Roles

• Providers