Oasis Correspondence Manual


OASiS
Correspondence














OASiS version 12 AU




































Contents
Patient Correspondence (Overview)
MSWORD
ODA (Oasis Document Assistant)
Images / Charts etc
Diagnostic Worksheets
OASIS WORD
Create New Document Template
Patient Correspondence (from the "My Money" Manual)
Document Template Selection
Incoming Document Selection
Pending Document Selection
Document Scanning
Additional Notes:
















Patient Correspondence (Overview)

Oasis has two primary methods of creating documents for attachment to patient records. It has its own document editor and it integrates with Microsoft's Word for Windows – most versions up to Office 2019 (Note: It may work with local versions of Office 365 but this is not supported by SOE).
To identify which method Oasis uses, select Preferences, My Money, Document Workstation and check the Word Processing Program Code. If it is MSWORD, then the practice is using Word for Windows. If it is OASIS then it is using Oasis Word.

MSWORD

MS Word integration works with Oasis by creating a text file (merge.txt) each time the Correspondence screen opens. The "merge.txt" file has the currently selected patient's details. These details are set out in "fields" within the text file that can be embedded into a Word document. We achieve this using Microsoft Word's Mail Merge facility.
There are other text files created by different processes. "Recall.txt" when merging recalls to Letters. "Apps.txt" when merging the appointment book records to letters. "Output.txt" (or merge.txt) when merging from the Patient Master List program and "merge2.txt" when using Diagnostic Worksheets.
We embed fields from these files into a template document so whenever a template is loaded, it reads the text file and updates the patient details accordingly.

ODA (Oasis Document Assistant)

To make the process of creating templates easier, we created a Word macro called the Oasis Document Assistant. You install this Word macro to PCs with MS Word and it adds a ribbon toolbar to Word for Windows with various commonly used processes.
The latest ODA is available from Oasis Support.

The installation will auto detect which version of Oasis is running (unless you have both V8 and V11). It will also detect whether it is a local or RDP installation. It will install the files to the nominated STARTUP folder for MS Word.

Once installed, this ribbon bar should display. If it does not, you may need to click the Add-ins option, then Oasis, to see them as follows:

Link to Oasis General will link to "merge.txt".
Link to Oasis Recalls will link to "recalls.txt".
Link to Oasis Appointments will link to "apps.txt".
Link to Diag (Diagnosis) Sheets will link to "merge2.txt".
Link to Oasis Output file will link to "output.txt".
Normalise Document will break the link to any / all merge files.
We recommend normalising to ensure the document remains as it was when first created. If you do not normalise, the document will dynamically update any changes to the patient's details the next time it is loaded.

Clicking the Patient Details option will display a window where you can select fields to incorporate into a document.

As you select fields, the macro inserts the field numbers into the document. When you click the "Preview Results" option in Word, the patient data replaces the field numbers.

If a template is saved with the patient data visible (and not the field numbers), whenever you load the template, the currently selected patient's data will appear in the document.

Images / Charts etc


In addition to creating merge files for use with documents, you can also request Oasis to output graphic files and listing files that create image files in the c:\oasis\wp folder. For example, if you create a template and define it (using the Define WP Output option) to output the Patient Photo or Restorative Chart, Oasis will create a "photo.jpg' and "gchart001.bmp" file in the same directory. If there are multiple charts for the patient, there will be multiple "gchartxxx.bmp" files in the folder.
These files can be added to a document using the corresponding ODA menu items when the template has been loaded. However, if you want them to load automatically when the template is loaded, you will need to add them using the Insert option in Word. Select Insert, Picture and then navigate to the c:\oasis\wp folder and select the picture file you want (e.g. "photo.jpg") and then click the "Link to File" option. This creates a link between the document and the image file in the c:\oasis\wp folder. The image file will be updated each time you select a new patient and then select the appropriate template. The linked file will be automatically loaded when the template opens.

Diagnostic Worksheets


It is important to note that the only mechanism for updating Diagnostic Worksheet data is the Diagnostic Worksheet screen. If you add Diagnostic Worksheet data to a template, it will not be updated if loading the template from the Correspondence screen. You therefore need to have unique templates for diagnostic worksheet data that are accessed through the Diagnostic Worksheet screen.

Click the Correspondence option in the Diagnosis screen and then select the template from the Correspondence listing. This updates "merge2.txt" accordingly.
Note: Exercise care here as if not loaded this way, wrong diagnosis data could be displayed if a template using "merge2.txt" is loaded directly from the Correspondence window.

OASIS WORD

For those that do not want to purchase Microsoft Word, Oasis has its own word processing module called Oasis Word. It is a less feature rich alternative.

It looks a little like an earlier version of Word for Windows.
The features to be aware of are the patient merge drop-down and the Merge Tools.


These options give Oasis Word similar capabilities to Word for Windows. You still create template files with embedded fields, which automatically load a patient's details whenever the template is used.

Create New Document Template

This process is the same for both Oasis Word and MSWord, but we will use MSWord as the basis of the instruction. We will also assume the older document naming convention of .doc. You could also use the .docx in place of .doc – but not for Oasis Word.
To create a new template, first ensure you have a document called "template.doc" in the oasis\template directory. This could be a blank document, or a letterhead document that you want to be the basis of all new documents.
To create a new template, select Preferences, My Money, Document Templates. Click New and the following screen is displayed

Enter a code for the new document e.g. WCERT
Enter a description of the document e.g. Work Certificate
The system will default the document extension to DOC
The system will also create the document name based on the code entered above.
If you want the document to be available to the patient's correspondence screen, then enter Y in field #4.
If you want the template to be available to the practice correspondence screen, enter Y into field #5
If you want the template to be available to the clinical notes Forms option, then enter Y in field #6
If you want the template to be available to the Reports window, enter Y in field #7
You can enter an optional reports password in field #8
If you want to use Oasis Word in place of MSWord when running a large merge print, you can enter a Y in field #9.
If you are using this as an Easypost template, enter the Easypost template code in field #10
Even though "Add to patient pending" (#12) implies the practice is using the pending feature, this switch must be set to Y for any template you wish to add to the patient library. If you do not set it to Y, it will not have a green tick beside it in the correspondence screen – even though still listed there.
The last switch (#13) is there to allow a prompt to appear when linking to a referring doctor. If the patient has multiple referral practitioners, Oasis will prompt for which referral practitioner whenever you use the template.
Once you have entered the appropriate details, click OK and the following prompt will appear.

If the prompt does not appear, you do not have a "template.doc" file in the oasis\template folder.
To create a blank template.doc file, open Word for Windows and choose the "Save As" option. Navigate to the OASIS share on the server and locate the Template folder. Save the document as "template" in the template folder.
If you want your template to have your letterhead, create the blank document with any letterhead and other information before saving it as "template". This will mean all future template documents created from within Oasis will have your letterhead by default.


Patient Correspondence (from the "My Money" Manual)

The Patient Correspondence window enables both incoming and outgoing documents and files to be stored against the current patient's record. Some of the more popular file formats that can be linked in OASiS are (but not limited to) MS Word, MS Excel, HTML, JPG or BMP images, Adobe PDF, PIT Pathology Results, RPT Crystal Reports and VPD Presentation Manager files.
Click on from the Menu Panel or from the Favourites Bar.

Patient Document Library
The patient document library maintains a record of all documents generated by templates, as well as all incoming documents. Optionally you can add outgoing documents to a "pending" location. Once a pending document or file has been "Add to Patient Library", a record is stored in the "Family Communication History" panel.
All records stored within the "Patient Document Library" can be;
Review/Edit Document – Opens the document or file in the respective third-party program
Change Document Date – Allows you to change the date
Change Document Description – Allows you to change the description
Lock Document – You can lock the document from any future editing/deletion
Mark Document On/Off – Determines whether the entry will be printed as part of the document list
Email to Patient – Allows you to email the document to the patient
Email to Referring Doctor(s) – Allows you to email the document to a Referring Doctor
Export Document – Allows you to export and save the document to the local computer
Delete Document – Allows you to delete the document

Document Template Selection

  1. Select a template letter from the "Outgoing Document Template Selection" panel on the top right.
  2. Edit the document description if required
  3. Click on
  4. The document will then open up in the appropriate third-party program (i.e. MS Word) for editing.
  5. Make the necessary changes in the respective third-party program
  6. Save and Exit
  7. The document will now appear in the "Pending Document Selection" panel

Incoming Document Selection

  1. Browse to the location of where your document or file is saved
  2. Click on the required document or file
  3. A menu will appear with a few options
    1. View Document
    2. Add to Patient Pending
    3. Delete Document
  4. Click on "Add to Patient Pending"
  5. A window will appear asking to select a Document Description
  6. Edit the description if needed and click OK
  7. A prompt will then appear asking "Do you want to delete this document?", Click on Yes or No depending on whether you want to keep the original document you saved.
  8. The document will now appear in the "Pending Document Selection" panel

Pending Document Selection


If document pending has been enabled (Preferences, Practice Registration, Field #29 "Enable Document Pending"), once a document or file has been attached to the Pending Document List, you have a number of options
Edit/Review Document - Opens the document or file in the respective third-party program
Change Description – Change the description of the document
Add to Patient Library – Removes the entry and adds it to the "Patient Document Library"
Delete Document – Deletes the selected document

Document Scanning

OASiS also has a feature allowing the user to scan documents and attach them to the patient's document library.

  1. Click on , the Scan window will open with the follow options

  1. Click on or ,

NOTE: Depending on the scanner capabilities, you may be able to scan multiple pages at the one time. Multi Page scans will be saved as PDF files in OASiS.

  1. A window will pop up asking whether you want to;
    1. Save in Low Resolution/Black and White Mode – Recommended if it is just a letter
    2. Save in High Resolution/Colour Mode – Recommended for images/graphics

Select one of the options and click on

  1. Select your scanner device from the "Select Source" window

  1. The respective third-party scanner program will then load, follow the prompts to scan. Once you have scanned the document in the third-party program, a copy of the scan will appear in the OASiS Scan Window
  2. Click on to save
  3. Select a description and edit if required.