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Frequently Asked Questions

 
   

General Questions   

Q: What CRIS reports print out nightly on the patient care units?

A: As of February 16, 2010, the batch printed CRIS reports (interdisciplinary notes, order summaries and medication administration records) no longer are generated in hardcopy format for filing in patients' medical records/inpatient charts. CRIS progress notes and consultation reports will continue to print in the Medical Record Department (MRD) following discharge and will be filed in patients' medical records.

All reports remain available for printing on demand from CRIS as necessary.

For Inpatients: Progress notes and consultation reports print in the MRD upon discharge and are filed in the patients' medical records by MRD staff.
For Outpatients: Progress notes and/or consultation reports entered in CRIS print that evening in the MRD and are filed in patients' medical records by MRD staff.

Please contact the MRD at 301-496-2292 or CRIS User Support 301-496-8400 with questions.

Q: My CRIS user name and/or password are not working. What should I do?

A: There may be several possible solutions:

  • Make sure you are on the Sunrise Clinical Manager (SCM) sign-on screen. If this is not displayed then you are not signing on to CRIS but something else. If you are not able to get to the SCM sign-on screen, contact your Desktop Support technician.
  • If the SCM sign-on screen is displayed then log on again making sure you are using the correct user name and/or password. You can also try signing on from a different computer. If this does not work, does a message display when you try to sign on? This will be helpful information when you call CRIS Support at 301-496-8400.
  • You may need your password reset. Contact CRIS Support at 301-496-8400 for assistance.

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Documentation   

Q: How do I to locate a flowsheet that is not listed in the Flowsheet Selection box?

A: First, make sure you are on the Flowsheets Tab.

  • Sometimes a flowsheet has not been previously used for documentation with the current patient and will therefore not display in the Flowsheet Selection box.
  • If you do not see the flowsheet you want, you will need to select the elypsis button elypse button (located at the bottom left corner next to the Flowsheet Selection box). On the Search Flowsheet screen, type in the name of the flowsheet you wish to access. A list will appear. Click on the flowsheet name and it will display in the Flowsheet Selection box for you to select and document on.

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Order Entry   

Q: How do I locate/enter an order when the order does NOT display on Order Entry Worksheet?

A: This works differently depending on if you are a prescriber or non-prescriber:

  • NON PRESCRIBERS
    Are you a Prescriber (i.e. physician, nurse practitioner, physicians assistant, etc)? If not then you are affiliate medical staff and must enter the order on behalf of the Prescriber.
    • Select the Other option in the Requested By field.
    • Select the appropriate Prescriber.
    • Use Manual Entry or Start of Browse to locate the order.
    • You can seek resources for assistance such as: other staff, the department the order is for or CRIS Support at (301) 496-8400 to help you locate the order.
  • PRESCRIBERS
    • Use Manual Entry or Start of Browse to locate the order.
    • You can seek resources for assistance such as: other staff, the department the order is for or CRIS support at (301) 496-8400 to help you locate the order.
  • NOTE: The % symbol (wild card) may be used to search for all orders. You can place the % symbol before or after letters to have it search (i.e. %tube will find any word with tube such as GI Tube or Tubes, wound drainage).

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   Locating Patient Information

Q: How do I locate patient information?

A: The general rules for locating patient information include:

  • First confirm you are on the correct tab.
  • Filters determine how much or little information will be displayed. Check to see that your filters are set appropriately for viewing information on the Orders, Results, Patient Info, Summary, Documents, Flowsheets, or Clinical Summary tab.
  • Set the filters to All if applicable for that tab and the Since filter to Start of This Chart or One year ago.
  • If information has been filtered, this symbol symbol will display above the display window.
  • Use the refresh icon as the screen may not be refreshed since you entered the information.

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Admissions, Discharge, Transfer System (ADT) - for admission staff only   

Q: When I type "admit patient" in the order search field, I get the message "no order exists". Where is the order?

A: Change the current list to Admissions. Click on the Order Entry icon Order Entry Icon. In the order search field, type admit patient and the order displays.

Q: How do I correct a misspelled name in CRIS? Or change the Last name due to marital status change?

A: Log onto CRIS, add the patient to your temporary list using the Find Patient icon Find Patient Icon.

  • Go to Registration at toolbar menu, select Complete Visit, select Patient Demographics tab.
  • Make your updates directly to the fields which need to be changed.
  • Click OK. These updates will be sent to the ancillary systems and the old name will be saved under the Other Names area of Patient Demographics.

Q: How do I make changes to demographic information while the patient is in pre-registration status?

A: Log onto CRIS, and add the patient to your temporary list using the Find Patient icon Find Patient Icon.

  • Go to Registration at toolbar menu, select Complete Visit, select Patient Demographics tab.
  • Make your updates directly to the Last, Middle and First Name fields.
  • Click OK.

Q: How do I change the physician, protocol, admission date or visit type when the patient is in pre-registration status (i.e., prior to admission)?

A: Log onto CRIS, and add the patient to your temporary list using the Find Patient icon Find Patient Icon.

  • Click on the Orders tab.
  • Right-click on the Open Patient Visit order which is on hold.
  • Select Modify Order, Modify By Me, and then make your changes to the order information. Click OK when finished.

This information will be stored until the patient arrives, when the Open Patient Visit order is released and creates the new visit.

Q: How do I change (Admit) an Outpatient to be an Inpatient?

A: Do the following:

  • Change your current list to Admissions.
  • Click on the Order Entry icon Order Entry Icon. In the order search type in box, enter admit patient and double-click on the order.
  • Click on the Patient Search icon Patient Search Icon, look up and highlight the existing Outpatient.
  • Click on select patient.
  • Fill in the data fields on the Admit Patient order with the appropriate Inpatient admission information. Click OK.
  • Click on Submit. This creates the Admit patient order.

Q: Currently, Admissions can select Multiple Races. The new forms only allow them to select one race even though the patient is multiple races. How do I select multiple races?

A: To select multiple races:

  • Go to Registration on the toolbar menu, select Visit maintenance, then to Complete Visit.
  • Click on Patient Demographics tab.
  • In the Ethnicity data field, select Multiple Race.
  • Click on the Demographic-Supplemental tab. There are six checkboxes near the bottom containing six race categories. Click in the boxes to check off the races of the patient.

Q: On the "admit patient" order country field, the country my patient is from is not on the list. What should I do?

A: If the patient's country cannot be found, select USA for the country and contact CRIS Support (301-496-8400) requesting that the country be added to the list. They will add the new country, and when this is completed you can go into the patient's record in Basic Registration and update the patient's country to be the correct country.

Q: When I attempt to add a contact to the contact list, I get a message "duplicate contacts are not allowed." What should I do?

A: On the Contacts/Directive tab, look on the list for the contact type you wish to add. If the name is none, click on the row, and then select the edit button. A dialog box will appear for you to add the information. If the name is a person?s name, clarify with the patient that the patient wishes to change this contact to someone new.

Q: The patient wants more than 2 physicians to receive reports. What should I do?

A: Refer the patient to their research team contact. The patient will need to complete form NIH 527, Authorization for the Release of Medical Information, which is sent to the medical-legal section of the Medical Records Department.

Admissions, Discharge, Transfer System (ADT) - General   

Q: What is an open patient visit?

A: The open patient visit is the current visit that the patient has in CRIS. The patient visits are Pre-registration, Outpatient, Inpatient, Inactive, Reactivated, Retired, and No-Institute. There is also an Order called Open Patient Visit or what is called the Admissions order.

Q: How can I tell from CRIS which visit the patient is currently in?

A: Log onto CRIS, click on the Find Patient icon Find Patient Icon.

  • Search for patient by name and click on Show Visits.
  • The open visit is the visit in the dialog box with the visit status column that reads ADM. It is usually the first one on the list.
  • The column labeled type/care level indicates the type of open visit, i.e. Pre-registration, Outpatient, Inpatient, Inactive, Reactivated, No-Institute, or Retired.

Q: How can I tell from CRIS the location of the patient?
A: Log onto CRIS, click on the Find Patient icon Find Patient Icon.

  • Search for patient by name and click on Show Visits.
  • The location column in the dialog box states the patient location in CRIS, such as admissions, inpatient unit, clinic, or day hospital.

Q: What is visit status?

A: Visit status indicates whether the visit is open or closed. The visit statuses are:

  • ADM: open visit.
  • DSC: closed visit.
  • CAN: cancelled visit (used only for patients who were pre-registered, but never came to NIH for their initial visit).
  • LOA: (Leave of Absence) when a Pass order is entered.


Q: Do I need to complete the registration screens for each inpatient admission?

A: Yes. Each time the patient is admitted, the information under Patient Demographics, Patient Supplemental, Contacts/Directives and Visit Supplemental should be reviewed with the patient. You can make any changes made needed by entering the updated information into the data fields.

Q: Do I need a new admit patient order for each inpatient admission?

A: Yes.

Q: Do I need a new admit patient order for each outpatient visit?

A: No. The admit patient order is needed only for the outpatient first registration visit. This is for someone who has never been to NIH before. Once the patient is registered to outpatient, the visit is open until the patient has an inpatient admission, or is inactivated.

Q: How do I reactivate a patient?

A: Do the following:

  • Change your current list to Admissions.
  • Click on the Order Entry icon Order Entry Icon. In the order search type in box, enter admit patient and double-click on the order.
  • Click on the Patient Search icon Patient Search Icon. Look up and highlight the appropriate patient, then click on select patient. (Hint: on the Advanced patient search dialog box, scroll to the right to verify the patient location is no institute, the visit type is inactive and the visit status is dsc)
  • Fill in data fields on the Admit Patient order with the appropriate admission information, click OK.
  • Click on Submit. This creates the open patient visit order.

    If the patient is returning as an outpatient, the order can be released. If the patient is returning as an inpatient, the order remains on hold until the patient appears in person for the inpatient admission.

Q: Can I search for a patient by medical record number?

A: Yes. Using the Find Patient icon Find Patient Icon, when the search dialog box appears, click on the tab ID, use the drop down list to select MRN and type the patient?s medical record number in the data field, click the search button. If no match appears, double check the medical record number, or search by name. On the admit patient order form, when the Advanced Patient Search dialog box appears, enter the medical record number in the data field labeled medical record number. If no match appears, double check the medical record number or search by name.

Q: What do I do when the patient arrives to be admitted?

A: The steps to admit a patient include:

  • Click on the Find Patient iconFind Patient Icon
  • Enter the patient?s Last name to Search for patient, click on Show Visits, and select correct visit, then click OK.
  • From the menu toolbar, click on Registration, select Visit Maintenance and then Complete Visit. If the Complete Visit is not highlighted, select Modify Visit.
  • Click on each tab to review and make changes as needed. Tabs include: Patient Demographics, Patient Supplemental, Contact/Directives, and Visit Supplemental.
    • At Contact/Directives - Use the Edit button to modify the contact information as required. Do Not Use the ADD or DELETE button.
  • Click OK when finished.
  • Go back to the Orders tab. Right-click on the order and select Release.
  • In the release order dialog box, click OK.

Q: If a patient is admitted to the incorrect unit, how do I move them to the correct unit?

A: There are two orders which can be used;

  • If an Inpatient is admitted to the wrong unit, enter a Transfer: Inpatient to Inpatient Unit order on the patient. Then, go to the Worklist and mark the task as done. This will transfer the patient to the correct Inpatient unit.
  • For outpatients, enter the Transfer: Outpatient to Outpatient DH/Clinic order, and select the correct day hospital or clinic. This will transfer the outpatient.

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This page last updated 01/30/13

 

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