# Patients (/docs/en/guides/patients)



Search before you create. The patient list and the identity details help you tell people with similar names apart. A patient's record then brings together their chart, visits, documents, tasks, care plans, emails and requests.

## Find and open a record [#find]

1. Open **Patients** and type in **Search patients…**.
2. Use the tabs **All**, **My patients** and **Needs review**. **Needs review** lists patients with an unsigned visit or home readings nobody has marked reviewed.
3. Use **Filters** (for example **Clinician**, **Team**, **Open items**) and **Sort** to narrow the list.
4. Check the name and date of birth before you open a row. A matching name alone is not enough.
5. On a wide screen, you can start a visit without opening the record: point at the row and choose **Start visit** at its end. See [Visits and notes](/docs/en/guides/visits#start).

The record opens on **Record**, the chart. The other pages are **Visits**, **Documents & files**, **Tasks**, **Care plans**, **Emails**, **Requests** and **History**.

<AppScreenshot id="patient-record" alt="Patient record with identity details, current clinical records and the patient navigation" />

An empty list can mean filters or your access. Some roles see only patients assigned to them or to their teams. If a colleague can open a record that you cannot, ask a practice administrator to check the assignment. See [People and access](/docs/en/guides/people-and-access).

## Register a new patient [#register]

You need permission to create patients (**Create patients**).

1. Search first. Then choose **New patient** at the top of the page. It is also on [Home](/docs/en/guides/home).
2. Enter the given name, family name, birth date and the other identity fields offered. The identifier fields depend on the practice's country. Without **Edit all patients** they are read-only, and a colleague with that permission adds the identifier later. For a patient under 18, also enter a **Parent or guardian**: their **Full name** and **Relationship**.
3. If **Possible match already in this practice** appears, choose **Open record** to check it. A match can be a record you cannot open.
4. Choose **Create patient**. If you are sure it is a different person, choose **Create anyway**.

The new record opens. Add address, insurance and contacts there afterwards, or choose **Full profile** in the dialog to fill in the whole registration form first and finish with **Add patient**. The name and birth date you already typed carry over.

<Callout type="warn">
  **Create anyway** creates a second record even though a match exists. Duplicate records split a patient's history, so use it only for a different person.
</Callout>

## Correct a patient's details [#edit]

You need permission to edit this patient: **Edit all patients**, **Edit patients in your teams** or **Edit assigned patients**.

1. In the record, open **Patient actions** and choose **Edit**. You can also choose **Details** on the chart.
2. Change a value. Address, insurance, contacts, general practitioner and referrer are saved one section at a time, with **Save** or **Done**.
3. Check the saved message before you leave the page.

Only **Edit all patients** can add, change or remove national identifiers. With team or assigned editing rights you see the identifiers as read-only text, with a note naming that permission, and you can still change name, date of birth, email, phone and language. Ask a colleague with **Edit all patients** to change an identifier.

Changes are listed in **History**. Who may work on a patient is a separate setting from editing their details.

## Set email, Agent and analytics preferences [#preferences]

These options sit in the patient's details and apply once saved.

* **Do not email this patient** stops request links, forms and appointment emails, and anything already queued. If the patient stopped email themselves through a link, the record says **Stopped by the patient**. Turn email back on only if they ask you to.
* **Exclude from AI assistance** means the Agent cannot read or act on the record, uploaded documents are not scanned, and visits cannot be recorded or transcribed. Patients under 18 are excluded automatically.
* **Exclude from analytics** removes the patient from analytics in all clinics.

Keep the email address and preferred language accurate before you send [messages](/docs/en/guides/patient-messages) or [requests](/docs/en/guides/patient-forms).

## Related [#related]

* [Visits and notes](/docs/en/guides/visits)
* [Clinical records](/docs/en/guides/clinical-records)
* [Data and compliance](/docs/en/guides/data-and-compliance)