Possible duplicate patients: see them at the chair, merge the simple ones

Nothing you have set up has changed. This note is about duplicate patient records, which appear when a returning patient books online without entering the emailed code.

What is new

• You see it where you work. A Possible duplicate: review chip now shows on the patient record, on the diary tile and in the appointment drawer whenever a patient has an open possible duplicate. The chip never shows the other patient's name.
• Practitioners can merge the simple ones. A practitioner with clinical access can merge a likely pair when the duplicate holds no clinical history and no login, which is nearly every online twin. Anything with history, a login or a mismatch in date of birth or surname stays with the owner, and the merge page says why.
• Forms tidy up after a merge. If the duplicate had an outstanding full questionnaire and the kept record already holds a completed medical history that still covers it, the outstanding one is cancelled and the merge receipt says so.
• Your booking email tells you the same day. A new online booking that looks like an existing patient carries a Possible duplicate line, so you can review it before the visit.

What you may want to do

Check Reports > Duplicates once a week, and ask returning patients to use Email me a code when the booking page asks. See Merging duplicate patients for the full picture.