Updating name/demographics throughout a document

by Laura Bryan ^® Sun, Nov 17, 2002, 17:26:41

When patient reports exceed one page, the second page must also contain the patient’s name, med record number, date, page number, etc. You can automatically insert the information from the first page of the document to the second page. (This second-page information can be in the form of an AutoText that you insert when you need it or you can place the patient information in a Header--see details below).

Follow each step very carefully. This technique works but you must follow these directions exactly.

Create a template file with standard text.
Insert a field for the patient’s name (CTL+F9), the date and any other information that will be needed on the second page.
SELECT the patient-name FIELD (excluding the paragraph mark).
Go to Insert/Bookmark.
Type a name for the Bookmark such as PatientName (no spaces and no punctuation).
Repeat for each "piece" of information that will appear again somewhere else in the document (e.g. date, MRN, provider, etc.)
Go to the second page and open the Header.
Set the cursor where the patient name will appear.
Go to Insert/Field/Links and references/Ref.
Select Bookmarks tab. Select the Bookmark Name to cross-reference and select Add to field.
Select Options. If the format of the patient’s name will change on the second page, select General Switches and select the appropriate format for the second page field. Select Add to field. (For example, my reports have the name in all caps on the first page, but title caps on the second page.)
Press Enter twice to close the Field dialogue box.
Repeat steps 8-12 for each "bookmark" created in steps 2-5.

If you place these reference fields in a Header, they will update when you Open/Close the document. You can also update them by opening the header, selecting (CTL+A) and pressing F9. Alternatively, you can place this second-page information (cross-reference fields) in an AutoText and insert when/where needed. It will automatically update when you insert the AutoText entry.

Now, here's how to use the bookmarks and cross-references: Now that you have set up the bookmarks and references, save them in a document that you use as a starting point for all your reports or save the entire format as an AutoText entry. When you begin a new report, press F11 to place the cursor in the first bookmarked field and type the pertinent info. Press F11 to get to the next field (e.g. patient name then on to DOS). Continue using F11 to place the cursor in the bookmarked fields. Cross referenced fields will update using F9 (select first) or when you open/close the document. To update header fields in Word XP, change the view to Print Preview (CTL+F2) and then back to Print Layout (CTL+ALT+P).

Automatically Insert Patient Demographics throughout a Document
(Refer to the project above using Bookmarks and Cross-references). You can also use Bookmarks and Cross-references to insert the patient’s name in other areas of the document. If you use the patient name several times throughout the document, place the cross-reference in the standard text of your template/boilerplate, or create a cross reference to the patient’s name, select the cross-reference field and store it as AutoText. When needed, type the name of the AutoText entry and it will insert with the patient's name that was typed in the bookmarked field on the first page.

Related link: Work faster, type smarter in MS Word