Simple Note Entry Form

What is a Simple Note?

Simple notes in Therabill are basic notes that you can enter on sessions, clients or providers.  The intended purpose of the simple note is not for therapy documentation, however, many people do use simple notes for such purposes.  The simple note is intended for recording miscellaneous notes such as patient contact (phone calls, e-mails) or any other non-documentation related notes pertaining to a client, session or provider.

There are three types of simple notes: the client simple note, the session simple note, and the provider simple note.

Client simple note

This simple note is associated with the client in general.  It is not associated with a specific therapy session.  This is good for recording communication you had with the client.  Or any other non-documentation notes you want to enter about the client.

Provider simple note

This simple note is associated with the provider in general.  It is not associated with a specific therapy session.

Session simple note

This simple note is associated with a specific therapy session.  Because a therapy session is also associated with a client, the session simple note also is associated with the client.  For this reason, the session simple note is also available from (stored in) the client record.

How do I enter a simple note?

The simple note icon  is in a variety of places in Therabill.  You will find it in most lists of therapy sessions, clients, or providers.  What type of simple note you are entering depends on what the simple note icon is being associated with.  That is, if you are viewing  your client list, each of your clients in your client list have a simple note icon associated with it.  If you click the simple note icon in the client list, then you will be entering a client simple note.  Similarly, if you click the simple note icon associated with a provider in your provider list, then you will be entering provider simple note.  If the simple note icon is associated with a specific therapy session (for example, in your calendar or on your dashboard) then you will be entering a session simple note.

To enter a note, simply click the simple note icon associated with the item (client, provider, or session) that you want to enter a simple note on.

The Simple Note Entry Form.

The simple note entry form is shown in the image to the right.  The main feature of the simple note entry form is the text entry box which is where you type in the note.  You can use rich text formatting (i.e. bold font) using the menu items at the top of the text entry box.  Here we will go over some of the other items located on the simple note entry form.

Past Notes

Past notes that you have entered for this client/provider/session are available by clicking the Past Notes button at the top left of the form (see image to the right, red arrow).  Please see the section below under the heading Viewing Past Notes for information on viewing past notes that you have entered.

Templates

Therabill will allow you to create simple note templates.  First, type in the note entry text box what you want to use as a template (this is similar to what you might do in Microsoft Word, where you type in the layout of your note template and then save it).  Once you have entered the note template the way you want it, click the Templates link at the top right (see image to the left, blue arrow) and then choose Save as template.  To use the template in the future, simple click the Templates link at the top right and then in the menu, choose Load Template.  Therabill will then present you with the templates you have created.  Click one of the note templates to load the template in to the note entry form.

Copy from Previous

This feature is only available on simple session notes.  Click the Copy from Previous link (see image to the right, yellow arrow).  Therabill will then display past session dates (for the client  of the session you are entering a note on) that have a note entered on them.  Click the date to load the text of that past note in to the note entry form.

Authentication

This is similar to signing the note.  Therabill also treats the note similarly to when you finalize the session.  You use the same note signature code that  you would use for entering your documentation.  For information on how to get your note signature code, please see: How do I get my note signature code.  Simply type the note signature code in to the authentication text box (see image above, purple arrow).  Once you enter the correct note signature code, Therabill will automatically save the note and authenticate it.

• Authenticating a simple note does not finalize the session that the simple note is associated with.
• Like finalizing documentation, once the simple note is authenticated, it cannot be edited.  You will only be able to add addendum to it.

WARNING:  Once you type in the note signature, your note will automatically be saved and authenticated.  Do not type in your note signature code until you are finished writing the note.

Client Viewable

If you put a check in this checkbox then this note will be available to your patient from their patient portal.  This requires the Therabill Patient Portal add on.

Entering the simple note.

Entering the simple note is as easy as typing the text of the note into the main text box.  You can use the rich text formatting tool bar to give  your note formatting.  In addition,  you can also include a Note Title and category for your note template.

Note Category

Simply type a category name into the Note Category text box.  Therabill will start searching previous categories you have used and display them.  If the category is listed, click on it in the drop down.  If the category is not listed, then finish typing in the category name and Therabill will create a new category for you when you save the note.

Copying text for Microsoft  Word

Microsoft Word is a proprietary format and copy and paste from a Word Document can result in strange text showing up in your note.  To help minimize this, do not past the text directly into the note entry text box.  Instead, click the copy from Word button located at the left of the toolbar (the clipboard icon with the W on it) and paste the text in to the form that appears.

Once  you have entered the note, click either the Save & Done button or the Save & Edit button at the top.

• Save & Edit:  Allows you to save your work.  You may be a paragraph or two in to writing and you do not want to lose what you are working on.  Simply click the Save & Edit.  Therabill will save your note and allow you to continue writing it.
• Save & Done:  Therabill will save the note and then automatically navigate you to the Past Notes page.

Viewing Past Notes

The enter simple note form also has an area for viewing past notes you have entered on the session / client / provider that you are currently entering a note on.  These can be found by clicking the Past Notes button at the top left (see image above, to right, red arrow).  When you click the Past Notes button you will be taken to the past notes area (see image to the right).  The past notes page consists of search filters at the top that allow you to search the notes by the date that you entered the note, by text within the note, or by note category.  The main content of the past notes area lists all notes associated with the client / provider / session you are currently working on.

Each note is shown with a white background and green border.  Each note consists of the following information.

• The note date (in large bold print) along with the date you entered the note (in smaller print under the note date).  The note date may be different than the entered date of session notes.  Session notes will take on the date of service as the note date.  
• The title of the note (if entered) along with a short version of the note is shown.  If the note body is longer, you will see a read more link that you can click to see the rest of the note.
• Underneath the note text, there will be some meta information about the note such as who entered the note.  If the note is authenticated, the meta information will also indicate this in red print.  The meta information also has a checkbox for Client Viewable.  You can toggle whether or not the client can view the note in their client portal using the checkbox (this requires the Therabill Patient Portal add on).

At the right of the note, there will be a series of icons.  See image above, circled in blue. These icons are as follows.

• Edit note  gives you the ability to edit the note.  If the note is authenticated, then instead of bringing you to the edit note form, Therabill will bring you to the add addendum form.
• Print note  gives you the ability to print the note to a PDF document.
• Send note  gives you the ability to either e-mail or fax a PDF of the note to someone.  If you choose e-mail, the note will be sent securely in a way where the recipient only receives a link that they can click to securely download the note.  IMPORTANT:  Fax out service is a 'pay per use' feature of Therabill.  Current 'per page' pricing will be displayed on the fax out page.
• Delete note  gives you the ability to delete the note.  This option is not available if the note has been authenticated.

Performing actions on multiple notes

Each note listed also has a checkbox (on the far left).  These checkboxes allow you to perform actions on multiple notes.  At the top left of the note list there are functions to 'select all' or 'select none' of the notes.  Once you have the notes selected (checks in the checkboxes) for all of the notes that you want to perform an action on, then choose the action from the action drop down menu at the top left of the note list.  The available options are print, email, or fax.