Patient Search Scope is a configuration in CareStack that controls which patient records a user can search for, view, and access across the system. It is designed to support practices with multiple locations, particularly those where locations operate independently and patient access must be restricted based on a user’s allowed locations.
Topics Covered
- Patient Search Scope Configuration Options
- Setting Up Patient Search Scope
- Key Impacts when Patient Search Scope is set to 'Allowed Locations'
- Limitations and Risks when Patient Search Scope is set to 'Allowed Locations'
- Is This Feature Right for Your Practice?
Patient Search Scope Configuration Options
Patient Search Scope determines the visibility of patient records in search results and enforces access restrictions throughout the platform. Patient Search Scope can be set for All Locations or Allowed Locations.
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All Locations (Default):
- Users can search for and access all patient records across all locations in the account.
- This reflects CareStack’s existing behavior.
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Allowed Locations:
- Users are restricted to patients whose Default Location matches one of the user’s Allowed Locations.
- Records from unauthorized locations will not appear in search results.
- Direct navigation to such patient records is blocked by backend validation.
Note: When Allowed Locations is enabled, duplicate patient checks is performed only against patient records in the user’s allowed locations, excluding patients from other locations.
Setting Up Patient Search Scope
Patient Search Scope can be configured at the Account level and optionally overridden at the User level.
Watch this video for a quick walkthrough.
Let's explore how to configure it at both levels.
Account-Level Setting
The account-level configuration defines the default patient search behavior for all users. To configure Patient Search Scope at the account level,
Navigate to the System Menu > select Practice Settings.
On the Basic Information page, click Edit on the top right.
Under Account Settings,
- Patient Search Scope: Select All Locations or Allowed Locations as required.
- Click Save.
User-level Setting
Administrators can override the account-level setting for individual users to support specific operational needs, such as centralized workflows.
To configure Patient Search Scope at the account level,
- Navigate to the System Menu > select Practice Settings > Administration > Users.
- Select the intended user.
- Click Edit at the bottom right.
- For Patient Search Scope, select Use Account Settings, All Locations or Allowed Locations as required.
- Click Save.
Key Impacts when Patient Search Scope is set to 'Allowed Locations'
Areas Impacted by Patient Search Scope
When Allowed Locations is enabled, patient visibility and access are restricted across the following areas:
- Global Search
- Iris
- All Patients Grid
- Insurance Payment
- Patient Search in Grids
- Patient Alerts
- Communication Hub
- Collection Payments
- Ortho Control Center
Limitations and Risks when Patient Search Scope is set to 'Allowed Locations'
Before enabling Allowed Locations, review the following operational impacts.
1. Increased Risk of Duplicate Patient Records
Since users can search only within their allowed locations:
- Existing patients from other locations may not be found.
- Users may unintentionally create duplicate patient records.
This can lead to:
- Fragmented clinical and financial histories across locations.
- Challenges in maintaining a single source of truth for patients.
2. Patient Portal and Patient Connect Implications
Duplicate patient records would result in:
- Patient Portal login failures.
- Additional staff involvement to assist patients with access issues.
Note: This limitation is being reviewed and will be resolved in the future release.
3. Campaign Risks
Duplicate patient records can cause:
- Campaigns (such as birthday, recall, re-engagement, or promotional campaigns) to trigger multiple times for the same patient.
- Patient confusion and reduced trust.
4. Communication Hub and Iris Limitations
When multiple patient records share the same contact details:
- Messages are displayed for the most recently created patient record, with Responsible Parties (RPs) prioritized over non-RPs.
- Emails cannot be automatically tagged to a specific patient if multiple records share the same email address.
5. User Experience Adjustments
Users accustomed to unrestricted search may initially experience:
- Fewer patient search results.
- Missing patient records they previously had access to.
- Reduced duplicate warnings.
Note: Clear internal communication and user training are strongly recommended before enabling this setting.
Is This Feature Right for Your Practice?
Ideal For |
Not Recommended For |
|---|---|
| DSOs where locations operate independently. | Practices that prefer centralized patient management across locations by depending on a single, consolidated patient record across all locations. |
| Practices that require strict location-based patient data isolation. | Practices that require frequent cross-location patient lookup that is outside the user’s allowed locations, for clinical or operational workflows. |
| Organizations aiming to prevent unintended cross-location patient data access. | Organizations that operate shared scheduling, billing, or clinical teams across multiple locations without strict location ownership. |
| Teams where patient ownership is clearly tied to a single location. | Practices that require duplicate detection to work across the entire account. |