Managing Patient Information
A core function of OpenEMR is managing your patient records. This guide will show you how to search for an existing patient and how to add a new patient to the system.
Searching for a Patient
There are two primary ways to find a patient in OpenEMR.
Method 1: Using the Patient Finder (Quick Search)
The Patient Finder is the search bar located at the top right of your screen, next to your user icon. This is the fastest way to look up a patient if you know their name or ID.
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Type the patient's Last Name, First Name, or Patient ID into the Patient Finder search bar.
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As you type, a dropdown list of matching patients will appear.
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Click on the correct patient's name to open their chart, also known as the Patient Dashboard.
Method 2: Using the Detailed Search
This method is useful when you need to search with more specific demographic information.
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From the main menu, navigate to Patient > New/Search.
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On the Patient Finder screen, enter the demographic information you have, such as name or date of birth, and click the Search button.
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A pop-up window will appear with a filtered list of patients who match your criteria.
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Click on a patient's name from this list to open their dashboard.
Adding a New Patient
If your search shows that a patient is not yet in the system, you can easily add them from the Detailed Search screen.
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From the main menu, navigate to Patient > New/Search.
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After confirming the patient doesn't exist, click the Add New Patient button.
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A form will appear. Fill in the required demographic information, which is marked in red. This typically includes:
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First Name
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Last Name
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Date of Birth
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Sex
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While only a few fields are required, it's best practice to fill in as much information as possible, such as contact details and insurance information.
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Once you have entered the patient's details, click the Create New Patient button at the bottom of the form.
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The system will create the new patient record and take you directly to their dashboard.