1. Introduction to Medisoft2
Introduction to Medisoft

2. Learning Outcomes When you finish this chapter, you will be able to:
2-2
When you finish this chapter, you will be able to:
2.1 List the six databases Medisoft uses to store information.
2.2 List the menus in Medisoft.
2.3 Explain the function of the Medisoft toolbar.
2.4 Explain how to enter, edit, save, and delete data in Medisoft.
2.5 Describe how to change the Medisoft Program Date.
2.6 Discuss two types of help available in Medisoft.
2.7 Explain how to create and restore backup files in Medisoft.

3. Learning Outcomes (continued)
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2.8 Describe the functions of the file maintenance utilities in Medisoft.
2.9 Describe the Medisoft security features used to ensure compliance with HIPAA and HITECH regulations.

4. Key Terms 2-4 access rights Auto Log Off backup data database
Medisoft Program Date
MMDDCCYY format
packing data
purging data
rebuilding indexes
recalculating balances
restoring data
Teaching Notes:
Have students define all key terms as an assignment. Then, in class, ask each student to define one key term aloud.
Optional assignment: Have students do an Internet search of one key term and write a short paragraph describing what they learned about that term from looking at a few websites.

5. 2.1 The Medisoft Databases
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Medisoft is a Practice Management Program.
A database is a collection of related bits of information.
Medisoft stores six major types of data:
Provider data
Patient data
Insurance carriers
Diagnosis codes
Procedure codes
Transactions
Learning Outcome: 2.1 List the six databases Medisoft uses to store information.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Stress how all entered information must be accurate. Problems occur when the information entered is incorrect. Data is only as good as the person who inputs it.
When data is entered in one database, it crosses over into other areas of the program—thus the need for accuracy.
Databases 1, 2, 3, and 6 are usually entered manually; 4 and 5 can be purchased and downloaded.

6. 2.2 The Medisoft Menus
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Medisoft offers choices of actions in a series of menus:
File Menu
Edit Menu
Activities Menu
Learning Outcome: 2.2 List the menus in Medisoft.
Pages: 50-55
Teaching Notes:
File menu software is just like a Windows programs. It shows you how to open/save/create/manage your database files.
The Edit Menu also functions that same as in Windows.
The Activities Menu is where all the functions of the software are located.

7. 2.2 The Medisoft Menus (continued)
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Medisoft actions are found in menus:
Lists Menu
Reports Menu
Tools Menu
Learning Outcome: 2.2 List the menus in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
The Lists Menu contains all the databases.
The Reports Menu categorizes your data, and so it is very valuable for practice analysis.
The Tools Menu can be used to customize the components of the practice.

8. 2.2 The Medisoft Menus (continued)
2-8
Medisoft actions are found in menus:
Windows Menu
Help Menu
Learning Outcome: 2.2 List the menus in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Ask each student to describe one function in a Medisoft menu.
The Windows Menu allows the user to switch back and forth between several open window.
The Help Menu allows the user to access Medisoft’s built-in Help feature so the user can get assistance with various aspects of Medisoft.

9. 2.3 The Medisoft Toolbar
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The toolbar contains 26 buttons with icons that represent the most common activities performed in Medisoft.
Learning Outcome: 2.3 Explain the function of the Medisoft toolbar.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
The toolbar makes navigating in the software faster.
Review the aspects of Figure 2-11.

10. 2.4 Entering, Editing, Saving, and Deleting Data in Medisoft
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Medisoft offers the following capabilities for data management:
Entering Data
Editing Data
Saving Data
Deleting Data
Learning Outcome: 2.4 Explain how enter, edit, save, and delete data in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Emphasize again that data must be entered accurately. Tell students to take their time, double check their work, and ask questions if they are unsure. Inaccurate data affects exercises as each chapter builds on the entered data in the preceding chapter. In real life, it can affect the practice’s financial records and the patient’s treatment.

11. 2.4 Entering, Editing, Saving, and Deleting Data in Medisoft (continued)
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Entering Data
All data is entered through the menu bar or toolbar.
Selecting an option opens a dialog box.
The tab key moves the cursor between boxes within a dialog box.
Data is entered through keying or by selecting an item, such as from a drop-down list.
Learning Outcome: 2.4 Explain how enter, edit, save, and delete data in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Explain that entering data through the menu bar or toolbar will open a dialog box where data can be input.
Stress the importance of using the tab key because it allows Medisoft to format input data properly.

12. 2.4 Entering, Editing, Saving, and Deleting Data in Medisoft (continued)
2-11
Editing Data
Follow the steps used to enter data to edit it.
Newly entered data will overwrite old data.
Learning Outcome: 2.4 Explain how enter, edit, save, and delete data in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Explain that once data is entered into the Medisoft system, it can be changed if necessary by following the same steps that were used to enter it.

13. 2.4 Entering, Editing, Saving, and Deleting Data in Medisoft (continued)
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Saving Data
Click the Save button that appears in most dialog boxes.
Select the location where you want to save the data.
Deleting Data
Click the Delete button offered in some dialog boxes.
If there is no Delete button, select the information, then click the Delete key on the keyboard (or right-click the mouse and select the Delete option from the shortcut menu).
Learning Outcome: 2.4 Explain how to enter, edit, save, and delete data in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Deleting data has a domino effect in the software. You may have to go into more than one database area to delete other data before or after you delete the data you are trying to delete or even edit. This is often the case when working in transactions.
Demonstrate to the students how information may have to be deleted from more than one database.

14. 2.5 Changing the Medisoft Program Date
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The Medisoft Program Date is the date the program uses to record when a transaction occurred.
In most Medisoft dialog boxes, dates must be entered in the MMDDCCYY format.
MM = month
DD = day
CC = century
YY = year
Dates are important; if incorrect dates are used, the information in reports will be inaccurate.
Learning Outcome: 2.5 Describe how to change the Medisoft Program Date.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Look for a date at the beginning of each exercise. The date must be changed at the beginning of the exercise, or reports will not be generated with the correct data. Not changing the date confuses students because they will think they did not do the exercise. In such cases, students then go back in and do it again and wind up having duplicate information in the program.

15. 2.5 Changing the Medisoft Program Date (continued)
2-15
The Medisoft program date must be correctly set by the user.
Pop-up
Calendar
Calendar Month
Pop-up List
Calendar Year
Pop-up List
Learning Outcome: 2.5 Describe how to change the Medisoft Program Date.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Emphasize the importance of inputting the correct date.

16. 2.6 Using Medisoft Help Medisoft offers two types of help: 2-16
Hints displayed as the cursor moves over certain fields
A built-in help feature
Learning Outcome: 2.6 Discuss two types of help available in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Have students search a Help topic in Medisoft and write a short paragraph describing what they learned and explaining why they believe that information is useful.

17. 2.7 Creating and Restoring Backup Files
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Backup data is a copy of data made at a specific time. It can be used to restore data.
To create a backup file:
Click File > Backup Data.
Click OK in response to the Backup Warning message.
Confirm the backup file’s destination path and file. Click the Start Backup button.
When the Backup Complete box appears, click OK.
Close the Medisoft Backup dialog box.
Learning Outcome: 2.7 Explain how to create and restore backup files in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Explain why backup files are important.

18. 2.7 Creating and Restoring Backup Files (continued)
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Backup data can be used in the event the database file is damaged.
Backup dialog box
Shows where the data
will be stored
Learning Outcome: 2.7 Explain how to create and restore backup files in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Backup files can also be used to correct student work. Try to have the student fix the mistakes first so they understand what they did wrong. Having to fix mistakes helps them learn the program.

19. 2.7 Creating and Restoring Backup Files (continued)
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The process of retrieving data from backup storage devices is referred to as restoring data.
To restore data in Medisoft:
Start Medisoft.
Insert the media that contains the backup file in the appropriate drive.
Click File > Restore Data.
When the Warning box appears, click OK.
Confirm the path and file name of the backup file to be restored.
Click the Start Restore button.
Learning Outcome: 2.7 Explain how to create and restore backup files in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Refer to your Medisoft Guide for this portion of the lecture. It gives more detailed information to help you and the student.

20. 2.7 Creating and Restoring Backup Files (continued)
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When the Confirm box appears, click OK.
When the Restore Complete message appears, click OK.
Close the Restore dialog box.
Learning Outcome: 2.7 Explain how to create and restore backup files in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Emphasize again how important backup files can be to students. Stress that backup files allow them to go back and correct work without having to input all of the data again.

21. 2.7 Creating and Restoring Backup Files (continued)
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Restore data to load previously saved files and overwrite the current database.
Restore dialog box
Verify the data file
Is correct here
Learning Outcome: 2.7 Explain how to create and restore backup files in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Have students describe the creating and restoring of backup files and explain why this process is important.

22. 2.8 Medisoft’s File Maintenance Utilities
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Medisoft includes four utilities for maintaining the database:
Rebuild Indexes
Pack Data
Purge Data
Recalculate Balances
Learning Outcome: 2.8 Describe the functions of the file maintenance utilities in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Ask students to describe the usefulness of one of the four utilities.

23. 2.8 Medisoft’s File Maintenance Utilities (continued)
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The Rebuild Indexes utility checks and verifies data and corrects any internal problems that may exist.
Do not attempt to perform the utility function listed unless told to do so because data could be lost.
Learning Outcome: 2.8 Describe the functions of the file maintenance utilities in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Emphasize again how important it is to input the initial data correctly so that the File Maintenance Utilities can work properly.

24. 2.8 Medisoft’s File Maintenance Utilities (continued)
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The Pack Data utility deletes data that has been marked for deletion in the program. This process is similar to emptying the Recycle Bin in Windows.
Learning Outcome: 2.8 Describe the functions of the file maintenance utilities in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Have the students explain why packing data is important.

25. 2.8 Medisoft’s File Maintenance Utilities (continued)
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The Purge Data utility removes data that has been marked for deletion in the program, but it does not delete the data from the program.
Learning Outcome: 2.8 Describe the functions of the file maintenance utilities in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Have the students explain why it would be important to back up data before it is purged.

26. 2.8 Medisoft’s File Maintenance Utilities (continued)
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The Recalculate Balances utility updates balances in patient accounts.
Learning Outcome: 2.8 Describe the functions of the file maintenance utilities in Medisoft.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Have the students explain why recalculating balances would be important to the facility’s practices.

27. 2.9 Using Medisoft Security Features to Ensure HIPAA and HITECH Compliance
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Access rights determine what a user can access, view, enter, and edit.
Medisoft requires users to input a Login Name and a Password.
Requiring users to login allows tracking the actions of users within the program through an audit report.
Learning Outcome: 2.9 Describe the Medisoft security features used to ensure compliance with HIPAA and HITECH regulations.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
In real life, usernames and passwords are changed every 3-6 months, and most software will prompt you when it is time for the change.
Discuss why it is important to have usernames and passwords changed so frequently.

28. 2.9 Using Medisoft Security Features to Ensure HIPAA and HITECH Compliance
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The Auto Log Off feature automatically logs the user off Medisoft due to inactivity.
The HIPPA tab contains an Auto Log Off option and a Warn on Unapproved Codes option.
Learning Outcome: 2.9 Describe the Medisoft security features used to ensure compliance with HIPAA and HITECH regulations.
Pages:
Teaching Notes:
Explain why it is important to have the system automatically log a user off for inactivity.