Creating SMARText Pick Lists

This lesson will describe how to create a SMARText Pick List.

Open the SMARText Items Manager

Open the SMARText Items Manager

In this example, we will be creating a pick list of diagnoses. Diagnosis items that are Structured Dx items are the type we suggest be entered into the Assessment field of SOAPnotes and in the Active/Inactive Problems in the Summary.

  1. Open the SMARText Items Manager by clicking Docutainers > SMARText Items (or Press F10 on the keyboard).
  2. Click the Create New Item button (Green +) as shown in the above screenshot.

Create a New List Item

Create a New List Item
  1. Select the List item
  2. Click the Create button

SMARText Designer

SMARText Designer

This will open the SMARText Designer window where we will create our new pick list (or Multi-Select List).

Create a Shortcut

Create a Shortcut

First, type in the pick list Shortcut code.

When creating documentation, this shortcut can be used (followed by pressing the space bar) in order to insert the item. This action will insert a header into the chart documentation, that when clicked, presents a pick list in the Quick Access dialog. For this demo, we want to create a pick list for diagnosis items, so let's use the shortcut "mydx". (Use any shortcut that will be easy to remember.)

*Note: SOAPware suggests that users never create Shortcuts that are actual words or medical abbreviations.  If actual words or medical abbreviations are used for shortcuts, every time that word or abbreviation is typed and the spacebar is pressed, the SMARText item will expand.

Item Description, Keywords, Display Header

Item Description, Keywords, Display Header

Next, complete the item Description, Keywords and Display Header:

  1. Description: Enter a description for the pick list to help identify the item. In our example, we'll enter "Diagnosis" for our description.
  2. Keywords: Enter keywords for the pick list.  Keywords will aid the user when doing a search for the SMARText item in the future (e.g. in the SMARText Items Manager).
  3. Display Header: Enter a display header for the new pick list.  The display header is what will appear in blue/underlined text when the item is inserted into the documentation.  
  4. Check the box for "only when item is empty".  This makes the Display header a "place holder" for the pick list until an item has been selected.  In other words, when once a diagnosis has been selected from the pick list, the display header text of "Diagnosis" will be removed.

Add SMARText List Items

We are now ready to add SMARText items to our pick list.

Items can now be added to the pick list by searching for the item in the SMARText Items Manager, then dragging and dropping them into the SMARText Designer.  

In order to do this, we will need to place our SMARText Items Manager and our SMARText Designer windows next to each other, so both windows can be used (as shown above).

Search for List Items

Search for List Items
  1. In the SMARText Items Manager (shown on the left), search for the items that need to be added to the pick list.  In our example, we will search for "tendinitis" diagnosis items.  Press the Enter key or click the Search button to search for SMARText items.
  2. Ensure that the Type of SMARText items display is appropriate for the pick list (if creating a Diagnosis pick list, ensure that items selected are Dx item).  Users can click on the Type column header to group all common types together.

Drag and Drop Items into Pick List

Drag and Drop Items into Pick List

Scroll through the search results and locate the items that will be placed into the pick list.

To place an item into the pick list:

  1. Click the desired SMARText item and begin dragging it towards the SMARText Designer window
  2. Drag the item directly over the "Item Settings" box, then drop it into the box (see screenshot above)

Repeat this for each item that the user wants to add to the pick list.

The items will be listed in the Item Settings box after dragging and dropping the items there.

Remove Items from a Pick List

Remove Items from a Pick List

To remove any items, select the item the user wishes to remove, and Click the Remove Item button located below Item Settings.

Item Separators

Item Separators

Next, we will need to select the Item Separators.

Choose the preferred Item Separator:

  • As Is: When multiple items are selected from the pick list, they will be inserted into the documentation "as is" with now separators (commas, lines, etc).
  • Separate with: When multiple items are selected from the pick list, they will be inserted into the documentation with a separator defined by the user (enter the preferred separator; e.g. comma, | , space, etc.)
  • Separate Lines: When multiple items are selected from the pick list, they will be inserted into the documentation on separate lines.  This method is recommended for pick Diagnosis, Medication and CPT code pick lists.
  • English List (and): When multiple items are selected, they will be inserted in the following format: item1, item2 and item3.
  • English List (or): When multiple items are selected, they will be inserted in the following format: item1, item2 or item3.

Add a Pick List Header to Documentation

Add a Pick List Header to Documentation

This new pick list item is now ready for actual use. Type "mydx"  into an encounter note, and press the space bar. This inserts the header (i.e. diagnosis) into the document. Click  diag.  in the document to display the items added to the newly created pick list in the SMARText Quick Access dialog (usually docked on the right side).  For example, in the SOAP encounter note screen shot above, "mydx" was typed (the shortcut) in the Assessment field.

Press the Spacebar

Press the Spacebar

Next, the space bar is pressed. This causes the header for the newly created pick list to be inserted. In other words, pressing the space bar after typing the shortcut "mydx" causes this pick list item's header, Diagnosis., to be inserted into the documentation.

Display the Pick List

Display the Pick List
  1. Click on the diagnosis header
  2. This will display the pick list items within the SMARText Quick Access

Choose Pick List Items

Choose Pick List Items
  1. Insert a item by Clicking the check box next to each item.
  2. This action places a check in the box, and the checked item will be inserted into the Assessment  field.