Open Dental Forum

Patient needs #1,16,17 and 32 extracted. Patient is referred to Oral Surgeon. In the Chart module, marked as REFERRED and appropriate OS code (ie D7140). The chart now shows #1,16,17 and 32 with red X over the teeth.

Sometime later, we receive note from OS stating the above teeth were extracted on such and such date.

We would now like to show that the teeth are missing. Clearly this should be listed as OTHER PROVIDER. Yet the only option is EXISTING OTHER.
So I choose that. Now the teeth are gone, but the red X remains.

The red X goes away when we delete the "REFERRED" line item, but we don't want to delete it since we would like to keep the history.

Perhaps a "SPECIALIST" option might be useful in this drop down menu that would also, when selected, remove all the previous symbols (red X for extractions, change color of root canal, etc.)

How do others handle this?

Cheers!!!!!

What we do is just change the status of the referred extraction procedure to existing other. This removes the X's and hides the teeth. Then in the note for that procedure I type extracted by Dr. OMFS and change the date completed to the date they did it.
Seems to work ok.

One thing I thought about is having the option of red X's change to Green X's when the extraction is completed so that you can see visually that the tooth was extracted while the patient was under your care.

However this would get in the way if you ever replaced the tooth with an impant or a bridge in the charting, so that idea may cause more problems than it is worth.

DW

That's more or less what we do now. The problem is that the newly created Current-Other is placed at the top of the Chart. One now must change the date to a new date. Then, if one deletes the REFERRED item, there is no longer a notation in the Chart showing when the referral was made. One has to create or edit a procedure note to show this. All these key strokes kind of defeats the "automation", don't you think?
For offices like mine, that refer all OS, Endo, Path, CT and much Perio.....that's a lot of extra typing.

What we have done is create an "N" code for each type of referral(N3001 Referred to Endodontist ). That keeps the timeline intact, but it still requires editing procedure notes.

How about another "Entry Status" called Referred Completed (RC)?

That even sounds better.

cheers!!!!!!!

The problem with another status is that it will make our jobs as programmers very difficult for a while. Status is how we calculate patient balances, and it will create a potential for bugs. I would rather simply automate the process better. Status EO. Date today. Green X. Possibly even link a referal to the individual procedure so we know who did specific procedures in a formalized way. Anyway, I get the idea.