Using Merge Fields and Macros
Merge Fields
On the compose screen is a section where you can add "merge fields" into the body of a letter. This is the same list used in the PickList User Messages section to create your templates. Just as in the Messages section, you can insert these elements into the body of your letter so you do not have to type in the patient’s name, sex-specific references, any of the diagnoses, etc..

The current list of merge fields is below along with their functions. Some "merge" fields with different names have the same function but were left in for backward compatibility to previous versions of PracticeMaker.
Merge Field
 Inserted Data
<addressee> Addresse's Salutation and Last Name
<adjuster>
 Coverage's record Adjuster's name
<allergies> If there are no Allergies, "Patient admits to no allergies." is inserted, otherwise the allergies are.
<claim>
 The ID field in Coverages
<date> The Visit Date
<date_birth> Patient's Birthdate
<date_consult>
 Date Consulted in Patient's record
<date_exam> The Visit Date
<date_illness>
 Date of Illness in Patient's record
<date_lastvisit> Last Visit in Visits tab in Patient's record
<date_nextvisit> Next appointment in patient appointment list
<date_POEnds> The PO Ends Date on Patient's Billing tab
<doc_consult> Consulting doctor's Saluation and Last name
<doc_med> Primary doctor's Salutation and Last name
<doc_other> Other doctor's Salutation and Last name
<doc_fax>
 Primary doctor's fax number
<doc_phone>
 Primary doctor's phone
<doc_refer>
 Referring doctor's Salutation and Last name
<Dx1>
 Proper Case Of  Diagnosis 1 On Letter Itself
<Dx2>
 Proper Case Of  Diagnosis 2 On Letter Itself
<Dx3> Proper Case Of  Diagnosis 3 On Letter Itself
<Dx4> Proper Case Of  Diagnosis 4 On Letter Itself
<dx1> lower case of  Diagnosis 1 on letter itself
<dx2> lower case of  Diagnosis 2 on letter itself
<dx3> lower case of  Diagnosis 3 on letter itself
<dx4> lower case of  Diagnosis 4 on letter itself
<dx1des3> Narrative record associated with Diagnosis 1 on invoice
<dx2des3> Narrative record associated with Diagnosis 2 on invoice
<dx3des3> Narrative record associated with Diagnosis 3 on invoice
<dx4des3> Narrative record associated with Diagnosis 4 on invoice
<employer>
 Employer's name on Patient's record
<examiner>
 Examiner's name (from Personnel)
<fax_addressee>
 Addresse's fax number
<fax_primary> Primary provider's fax number
<fax_referring> Referring provider's fax number
<fax_other> Other provider's fax number
<Fname> Patient's First name (Proper Case)
<fullname> Patient's Salutation and Full Name
<He> He or She, sex specific
<he> he or she, sex specific
<him> him or her, sex specific
<His> His or Her, sex specific
<ID> Primary Insurance Coverage record ID
<ins_name>
 Primary Insurance Coverage record Name
<ins_elig_phone>
 Primary Insurance Coverage record Eligibility Phone
<ins_phone>
 Primary Insurance Coverage record Phone
<ins_precert_phone>
 Primary Insurance Coverage record Precert Phone
<ins_fax>
 Primary Insurance Coverage record Fax
<patient>
 Patient Full Name
<pat_address>
 Patient's Address
<patage> Patient's Age
<patphone> Patient Home Phone (if available)
<patsex> Patient Gender
<phone_primary> Primary Provider's phone
<phone_referring> Referring Provider's phone
<phone_other> Other Provider's phone
<pri_ins> Primary Insurance Coverage record Name
<pri_ins_id> Primary Insurance Coverage record ID
<pri_ins_group> Primary Insurance Coverage record Group
<pri_ins_rel> Primary Insurance Coverage record Realtionship
<referral> Primary Doctor Salutation and Last Name
<SSN> Patient's SSN , if available, if not it inserts, "No SSN on file"
<subscriber_name> The Subscriber of the Primary Insurance, if empty uses the patient's name
<today+1> through <today+30>
 Adds the number of days to Today's date
<workphone> Work phone on Patient's Summary screen
 

Some examples
Let's say to type in or "drag and drop" the following into the Letter Body. The patient is Autumn Dickerson with the Visit Date of 8/10/04 and the primary diagnosis of Hypertension, Unspecified Essential.
<patient> was seen for a comprehensive examination on <date> because of the primary diagnosis of <Dx1>.

After clicking the Replace All Merge Records button you get the following result.
Ms. Dickerson was seen for a comprehensive examination on 8/10/2004 because of the primary diagnosis of Hypertension, Unspecified Essential .

This can be used with unlimited merge fields. You are only limited by your imagination.

Macros
Inserting macros is different. A macro can be several words or paragraphs long. Macros can contain the same Replaces that letter bodies have thus making letter writing even easier. To create a macro, follow the directions in the Messages chapter, but an example is shown above. I use this macro to describe about retinal detachments.

To insert a macro do the following:
Pick a macro from the pop-up Insert menu located in the bottom middle section. This pop-up is in alphabetical order!

Place cursor at the insertion point in your letter body where you want the macro to go and click Insert. It’s that easy to insert a complete body of information.

Last updated 9/14/2004