Confirm that both charts belong to one person
A similar name, shared mobile number or matching address is a reason to investigate, not proof of a duplicate. Families often share contact details, and different patients can have the same name. Ask the patient or your team to verify the identity before starting a merge.
Compare patient numbers, name, age or date of birth, mobile, email and the history in each chart. Decide which patient number should remain in use. If you cannot confidently establish that both charts belong to one person, keep the records separate and resolve the uncertainty first.
Prepare both charts
Staff with patient editing access can start a merge. Before continuing, revoke active portal connections and pending patient invitations on both charts. This prevents an existing login or unused link from unexpectedly gaining access to the combined record.
Open the duplicate chart, use More record actions (the three-dot menu), choose Merge a duplicate record and search for the chart to keep. Read the preview carefully. It identifies the retained chart and the linked records that will move.
- Identify the duplicate chart and the patient number to keep.
- Review portal access on both records and revoke active connections and pending invitations.
- Open Merge duplicate from the chart you will retire.
- Select the retained chart and compare the preview with your intended change.
Confirm the merge
Explain how you verified the patient’s identity and type the retained patient number to confirm. Check the direction once more: the duplicate chart is being combined into the record you chose to keep.
Appointments, consultations, prescriptions, invoices, reports and follow-ups stay linked to the patient. Clinical content, invoice amounts and payments are preserved. Merge history retains the original identity and audit details, while old patient links and searches lead to the retained chart.
There is no undo button for a merge. If the preview shows an unexpected patient or record count, stop and check the charts before confirming.
Check the retained record afterwards
Open the retained chart and verify its identity and contact details. Review the timeline and the records you expected to move. Use the retained patient number for new appointments and future communication.
Queued reminders are cancelled by the merge, and old email action links stop working. Confirm the patient’s current email and record fresh reminder agreement. Send a new portal invitation if the patient wants access to the combined chart.
- Confirm the retained name, patient number and contact details.
- Review the combined history and any upcoming appointments or follow-ups.
- Record the patient’s current reminder choice.
- Send a new portal invitation to the verified address when appropriate.