edgeMED Help Center > Electronic Health Records > EHR

Configure short keys.

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Create a short key

Edit/remove short keys

Use short keys
 

What are Short Keys?

Short keys are a time-saving feature that can be configured for Electronic Health Records (EHR) to allow easy addition of common text blocks to your encounter templates. Short keys can be configured by a Clinical Admin and used by any provider or staff member in any Smart Form.

Create a Short Key

Click Utilities icon in the upper right corner.


Click Utilities icon in the upper right corner.

 
In Clinical Admin Tools, select Short Keys. Note: You will only have access to Clinical Admin Tools if you are set up as a Clinical Administrator for your practice. If you should have this access, but do not have Clinical Admin Tools, have your Practice Administrator contact us to add this access to your edgeMED account.


In Clinical Admin Tools, select Short Keys. Note: You will only have access to Clinical Admin Tools if you are set up as a Clinical Administrator for your practice. If you should have this access, but do not have Clinical Admin Tools, have your Practice Administrator contact us to add this access to your edgeMED account.

 
Click + New to create a new short key.


Click + New to create a new short key.

 
Enter the desired Hot Key, Phrase, and Text.Hot Key is the symbol you will type before the phrase so that the system knows you are pulling short key text. The following symbols are accepted for hot key ` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) - _ = + { } [ ] | / \ ; : ' " < > , .Phrase is the text you will type to populate the short key. This is essentially the name of the short key and cannot contain any spaces. (You can use an underscore instead of a space if needed)Text is the text that will populate in the encounter from the short key.


Enter the desired Hot Key, Phrase, and Text.

Hot Key is the symbol you will type before the phrase so that the system knows you are pulling short key text. The following symbols are accepted for hot key ` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) - _ = + { } [ ] | / \ ; : ' " < > , .

  • Phrase is the text you will type to populate the short key. This is essentially the name of the short key and cannot contain any spaces. (You can use an underscore instead of a space if needed)

  • Text is the text that will populate in the encounter from the short key.

If you have multiple providers that prefer their own individual short keys, as well as shared short keys, give each provider their own hot key and use a separate hot key for shared short keys. For example, use @ for shared short keys, # for Dr. Jones' short keys, and $ for Dr. Smith's short keys.
 
Use the Advanced link to open additional text editing features.


Use the Advanced link to open additional text editing features.

 
Using the Formatting Bar, add additional fonts, text size, links, lists, and other features.


Using the Formatting Bar, add additional fonts, text size, links, lists, and other features.

 
Using the Place Holders on the right, add linked fields, which will automatically update with the information from the patient and provider that an encounter is being created under.


Using the Place Holders on the right, add linked fields, which will automatically update with the information from the patient and provider that an encounter is being created under.

 
Click Save to add the short key.


Click Save to add the short key.

Edit and Remove Short Keys

From the short keys screen, use the Trash Can icon to delete a short key.

Use the Edit icon (located next to trash can icon) to make text changes to the hot key, phrase, or text of a short key.

Click the Save icon to update.

Use the Advanced link to make text, formatting, and place holder updates to the short key.


Use the Advanced link to make text, formatting, and place holder updates to the short key.

 
Click Save to update.

Click Save to update.

 

Use Short Keys

In any Smart Form encounter, short keys can be used to populate text into a large textbox. Click into the desired large textbox. Large textboxes in Smart Forms always have the formatting bar above the entry area.


In any Smart Form encounter, short keys can be used to populate text into a large textbox. Click into the desired large textbox. Large textboxes in Smart Forms always have the formatting bar above the entry area.

 
Type the hot key, followed by the associated phrase. As you type, a small menu of matching short key options will display to the lower right of the pointer.


Type the hot key, followed by the associated phrase. As you type, a small menu of matching short key options will display to the lower right of the pointer.

 
Select the short key option from the menu, or type the full hot key and phrase, then Tab on the keyboard. The short key text will appear in the textbox. Continue the encounter and Save and Sign as normal.


Select the short key option from the menu, or type the full hot key and phrase, then Tab on the keyboard. The short key text will appear in the textbox. Continue the encounter and Save and Sign as normal.