Templates

Most clinical software products have a template function. The templates can be pre-populated with data from a patient's record. Whether sent via secure messaging or printed out for faxing, templates make it easier to write and send letters and forms.

If you want to use a template that another provider has made, you can import it into your software. Below are the steps for the major GP clinical software products.

Before you start

The template file that you import will end in .rtf. If you open this file, your computer will probably open it in Word (or a similar program).

It's very important that you do not open the file. This is because Word will corrupt the template file and your clinical software won't be able to use it. 

If you accidentally open it, simply delete that file and download another copy of the template.

Get the template

The template .rtf file might already be somewhere on your computer (e.g. someone sent it to you by email and you saved it somewhere). If you know the location of the file, then skip this step. Here are the steps to download it from a website:

1. Go to the webpage that has the template.
2. Right-mouse click on the template link.
3. Depending on your web browser, click the Save Target As ... or Save Link As ... option.
4. Choose a convenient place on your computer, e.g. Downloads or Desktop, and click the Save button.

Best Practice

1. Open Best Practice Clinical
2. Click Utilities (from the top menu), then click Word Processor
3. Click Templates then Import template
4. As prompted, locate the template file, click on the file, and click Open
5. Click File and then Save as
6. Click once on the Template Name to type the name you want to call the template, and tick Available to all users, then click Save
7. Click File and then Close

Genie

1. Open Genie
2. Click on the Magnifying glass icon (Find record), then select a test patient
3. Click on the Quill icon (Create a referral or reply letter)
4. When the Address Book search window appears, click Cancel
5. When the Choose window appears, click Blank Letter
6. From the Template dropdown menu, select New template
7. Enter name of template in the Title field (at the top-left of the screen)
8. Click File then Open….
9. Locate the template file, click on the file, and click Open
10. Click on the Save button (see top-right of screen)

Medical Director

1. Open Medical Director Clinical
2. Click Tools (from the top menu) then Letter Writer…
3. Click File then New…
4. Click User Defined tab, then select Blank Template (not Blank Letter!) then click OK
5. Click File then Import…
6. As prompted, locate the template file, click on the file, and click Open
7. Click File then Save as Template…
8. Type the name you want to call the template, then click Save
9. Click File and then Close

Zedmed

1. Open Zedmed Clinical
2. Click on Tools (from the top menu), then Clinical WP Setup then WP Templates
3. Click File then Import Template
4. Click Browse, then as prompted, locate the template file, click on the file, and click Open
5. Type the name you want to call the template into the Description box. Click OK.