Merge and Identify Defined Merge combines two or more patient index references (that refer to the same person) into one. When the names are different, but other identifiers indicate they are for the same person you should merge. (eg. Bill Aguilar and William Aguilar are the same person.) Identify links reports and results with a single patient index record. This is also called “consolidation.” When there are two or more files for the same person, you should identify.

What Causes a Duplicate? Misspelling at admission Patient supplies wrong identifier, (e.g. spouse’s social security number) Patient gives nickname instead of proper name Any inconsistency in name, birth date, or social security number IMPORTANT: Elysium delivers the data, but does not alter or edit the data in any way.

Why Are Merge and Identify Important? The most important reason to use the Identify and/or Merge features is so other features of Elysium, including the Summary Page and Cumulative View, display all of a patient’s information. For these features to work, you must have one group of records in the Final View that contains all of that patient’s records. Cumulative View

What is Merging? Merging can only be done in the Final View. Merge takes two or more centralized patient index references for the same person, and combines them into one reference (or online chart). Merging uses demographic information such as last name and date of birth. Clinical information from all patient records is merged into one on- line chart. Duplicates are now removed

There is NO un-merge. If you find you have made a mistake when merging, call the Elysium Support Desk: Keep a list of which files you are merging. This will help the Support Desk personnel find the incorrectly merged records.

What is Identify? Identify links reports and results within your workgroups Elysium database (ECD). This is also called consolidation. Identify does not add to or take references away from the Central Patient Index

Which do you use when? Identify will be used most when you see an unidentified group. The unidentified group has an asterisk * to the right of the name and birth date. The asterisk behind a name means that this group of records is not in the CPI. It is the online equivalent of a result that is out of its chart. Unidentified results occurs when there are data input errors or when the file is from Elysium Transcription.

Use Merge... Merge should be used when you find two or more identified groups (without asterisks) When neither on-line chart has an asterisk, it means that they are both in the CPI. Examples include:  In one entry the proper first name was used (William). In the second entry a nickname was used (Bill), but they are both the same patient.  A patient has gotten married and Judy Jones is now Judy Smith.

Simple descriptions... Final View = your online Chart The Patient Index = a cabinet full of patient charts. Problem: You have two folders for the same patient. One folder calls the patient William. One folder calls him Bill. His proper name is William.  You need to take the contents of the “Bill” folder and put them in the “William” folder.  That is what the Merge process does. You have now have one chart entry called “William” and a second entry also called “William*”. Problem: The results in William* need to be connected to the other “William” folder.  That is what the Identify process does.

Even simpler... To Merge: To Identify: William Johnson Bill Johnson William Johnson* William Johnson Chart

Step by Step: Identify Always start in the Final View Collapse the Final View so you can see how many identified and unidentified groups exist for patients. Unidentified groups have an asterisk “*” after the patient name.

Step by Step: Identify When you find two groups of records that need to be consolidated, open the group with the asterisk. Click on one of the boxes in front of the file. Click on the Identify button.

Step by Step: Identify Select the record from the Patient Index Candidates that you want to identify with the asterisked reports.  The Group of Records at the bottom are the asterisked files. They are not identified with the Master Record, nor are they in the CPI. Normally you will want to identify all the records in the Group of Reports with the Master Record/Patient Index Candidate. Check the box to indicate which group of reports you want to identify. This is the Master Record

Step by Step: Identify Now, click on Identify. When the warning message appears, select “OK.” The Identify process is now complete.

Step by Step: Merging If you find two or more online charts for the same person, you should merge the CPI records first and then identify reports. Because William Aguilar is the correct name for this patient, you will merge Bill Aguilar into the William file. Then you will identify the asterisked results with the William Aguilar chart (without an asterisk).

Step by Step: Merging Expand one of the patient records by clicking on the blue triangle. Click on Patient Data

Step by Step: Merging Next, click on Merge. Usually, most likely candidates for merging will appear. However there will be times that you will have to use logic to connect some records. (Connie and Constance may be the same person etc.)

Step by Step: Merging Choose the patient index record that has the most correct information by checking the box in the left column. Select the main chart by clicking in the circle to the left of the checked box. This is the file that all data will be merged into.

Step by Step: Merging Choose all of the records that you want to merge into the Master by checking the boxes to the left. Then select information from other records to replace the master information if necessary. Now select Merge Candidates.

Step by Step: Merging How to find more Merge candidates In situations where there is a name change, for example, a marriage, you may merge two different last names.  Start in the CPI  Use the search function to find the name for the records you want to merge.  When all the names are in the Patient Index records to merge area, click on Merge.