🩺 Consultations & Quick Consults

The Consultations module is the doctor's primary clinical workspace. Designed for speed, precision, and patient safety, it lets clinicians record vitals, document diagnoses with ICD-10 coding, prescribe medications with automated allergy warnings, and issue branded electronic prescriptions.

Accessible by: Admin, Doctor

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1. Starting a Consultation

There are two primary ways clinicians initiate a consultation:

Method A: From the OPD Queue (Standard Encounters)

1. In the sidebar, click Consultations (or press <kbd>C</kbd>).
2. The queue displays all patients currently checked in and waiting.
3. Click Start Consultation next to the patient's name.
4. The patient's status changes from 🔵 Checked In to 🟡 In Consultation, signalling to reception that the doctor is currently seeing this patient.

Method B: Quick Consult (Instant Walk-in Flow)

For emergency walk-ins or quick prescription refills where full registration can wait:

1. Press <kbd>Q</kbd> anywhere in the application (or click Quick Consult on the dashboard).
2. Search for the patient by phone or quickly enter their name and mobile.
3. The clinical consultation pad launches instantly, allowing you to document notes and print a prescription in under 60 seconds.

Method C: Telemedicine / Video Consultations (Zoom)

For remote patients with booked video appointments:

1. Find the video appointment in the Consultations Queue or Calendar.
2. Click Start Video Call to launch the secure Zoom consultation window.
3. You can interact with the patient via HD video/audio while documenting vitals, clinical notes, and digital prescriptions side-by-side on your screen.

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2. The Clinical Consultation Workspace

The consultation workspace is arranged into focused, clinical sections:

1. Patient Medical Alert Banner

At the top of the chart, the clinician immediately sees:

• Patient demographics (Age, Gender, Blood Group).
• Active Allergies highlighted in red (e.g., Allergic to Penicillin, Sulfa).
• Chronic conditions and baseline medications from previous visits.

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2. Vitals Signs

Capture current vitals before starting the clinical exam:

Any out-of-range readings are highlighted with an amber indicator for immediate clinical awareness.

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3. Symptoms, Examination & ICD-10 Diagnosis

1. Chief Complaints: Record presenting symptoms, duration, and clinical history.
2. Clinical Examination: Physical findings, auscultation, or systemic notes.
3. Diagnosis & ICD-10 Search:
   • Type clinical terms (e.g., "Hypertension", "Type 2 Diabetes", "Acute bronchitis").
   • Click the ICD-10 Lookup tool directly beside the diagnosis field to attach standard WHO international diagnostic codes (e.g., I10, E11.9, J20.9) to ensure clinical and insurance compliance.

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4. Smart Prescription Builder

Prescribe medications quickly using standard medical conventions:

Standard Dosing Frequency Codes Supported:

• OD (1-0-0) — Once daily (morning)
• BD (1-0-1) — Twice daily (morning & night)
• TDS (1-1-1) — Three times daily (morning, noon, night)
• QID (1-1-1-1) — Four times daily
• HS (0-0-1) — At bedtime
• SOS — As needed / in emergency
• STAT — Immediately / single dose

⚠️ Automated Allergy Safety Checks

If a doctor attempts to prescribe a medication containing an active substance the patient is allergic to (e.g., Amoxicillin for a Penicillin-allergic patient), Clinic OS immediately displays a prominent Safety Alert Modal. The clinician can either select an alternative drug or provide clinical justification to proceed.

Applying Prescription Templates

Save time on repetitive conditions:

• Click Apply Template to insert pre-configured medication bundles for common conditions (e.g., URTI Protocol, Fever Starter, Hypertension Bundle).
• You can also click Save as Template on any completed prescription to store it for future use. (See Clinical Tools & ICD-10).

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5. Lab Investigations & Procedures

Order diagnostic lab tests (e.g., Complete Blood Count, HbA1c, Lipid Profile, Chest X-Ray) or record minor clinic procedures (e.g., Wound Dressing, Nebulization).

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6. Scheduling Follow-ups

Before completing the visit, choose a follow-up review schedule:

• Timeline: After 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, or custom date.
• Reason: e.g., "Review blood sugar log", "Suture inspection".
• The follow-up automatically queues into the clinic's Pending Follow-ups widget and dispatches automated reminder notifications to the patient.

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3. Completing & Issuing the Prescription

When the consultation is complete:

1. Click Complete & Print (or Save Draft if awaiting lab reports).
2. The official prescription is generated using your clinic's branded letterhead template (including clinic logo, address, doctor qualifications, council registration number, and digital signature).
3. Print Options: Print to any desktop laser, inkjet, or thermal printer on plain paper or custom pre-printed letterhead pads.
4. Instant WhatsApp / SMS Delivery: If digital delivery is enabled, a secure PDF link of the prescription is sent directly to the patient's WhatsApp or mobile phone.

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4. Specialty EMR Extensions

For specialized practices, Clinic OS provides specialty-specific clinical assessment tools directly inside the consultation view:

• 🦷 Dental: Interactive 32-tooth odontogram chart with procedure tagging.
• 👶 Pediatrics: Growth tracking percentile curves (WHO standards) and pediatric vaccination schedules.
• 👁️ Ophthalmology: Visual acuity charts, subjective refraction values (Sphere, Cylinder, Axis, Add), and spectacle prescriptions.
• 🤰 OB/GYN: Antenatal visit tracking, gestational age calculation, and expected delivery date (EDC/EDD).

(See Specialty EMR Modules for detailed specialty documentation).