Entering Electronic Reports in Vetstar

1. Access your patient’s account.
   
   
2. Access the Examination function using one of the following options:
   
   • Enter quick command ex or emr.
     
     
   • Click on the Reports button then double click on Report Start/Edit.:
     
     
     
3. Select the correct visit if prompted.
   
   
   
4. It you are writing a Discharge/Referral Report, note that when a patient is registered in Vetstar, a report titled "Patient Visit Report" is automatically created. Access that report to write a discharge/referral report:
• Select the Patient Visit Report by clicking in the box next to the status.
  
• After selecting the Patient Visit Report, choose the service area seeing the patient.
  
• After selecting the service area, templates associated with that area will display.
  
  • Click on the checkbox next to the desired templates(s).
  • Click on the Verify Templates button or press Alt/y.
    
• Wait for the editor to be populated with your templates. The flashing arrow icon at the bottom right of the Vetstar program will flash red while processing, then change to solid yellow . Click into the editor and enter text to complete your report.
• If the patient is being seen by more than one service, and both wish to write separate reports for that visit:
  • Repeat steps 1-3 above, and then create a new Patient Visit Report.
  • Click on the Add Exam icon or press Alt/a
  • Select Patient Visit Report.
    
  • Repeat the steps outlined above to select templates for your service area.
    
    
5. For other reports, i.e. Surgery and SOAPS:
   • Repeat steps 1-3 above, then select the type of report that you are adding when prompted (Surgery or SOAP).
   • Surgery and SOAP reports will open with a report template automatically included. Wait for the editor to be populated with your template. The flashing arrow icon at the bottom right of the Vetstar program will flash red while processing, then change to solid yellow. Click into the editor and enter text to complete your report.
     
     
6. To select a Discharge Status:
   Click on the selection icon three times until a list appears, then click on a status.
   
   
   
7. Star Reports editor notes:
   
• Click on a check box three times to check it.
• Cut/copy and paste text with the right mouse button.
• If you copy text from other applications such as an email client or a web browser, inconsistent fonts and formatting may transfer into Star Reports. Copy your text first into Notepad if you would like to remove formatting.
• To undo the last edit, click on the Undo button at the top of Star Reports.
  
• Entering URLs may cause an error when you Save out of your report. Insert spaces into the URL to avoid this issue.
• Press arrow keys to move the cursor one character or line.
• Press the Home key to move to the beginning of the current line or table cell.
  
• Press the End key to move to the end of the line or cell.
  
• Hold the Shift key while pressing Enter to move down one line at a time.
  
  
8. Click on the Templates button to select document templates (for signatures/credentials and boilerplate text). Wait for the text to be inserted at the bottom of your report. You may move it to another area of the report if desired:
   • Select the text with your mouse.
   • Right click/cut.
   • Click where you want to place it.
   • Right click/paste.
     
     
9. Click on the Save to save the report. When it is complete, the person who has authority to finalize the report should click on the finalize button. Enter your PIN when prompted.
• Reports are auto-finalized by the system 4 days after the last edit. Note that reports will NOT auto-finalize while a patient is an inpatient in Vetstar.
• Policies differ as to who has authority to finalize a report; these policies may be accessed at:
  https://vetmed.illinois.edu/intranet/vcmvth/vth_policy/
  
  
10. If you need to review, edit or finalize a report, re-enter the examination screen using one of the methods in step 2, and then select the correct report.
    
    
11. Do one of the following if you need to make changes on a finalized report:
    
• To make minor corrections or add information, add an addendum.
  
• If the report has been entered erroneously (e.g. on the wrong patient account) contact Medical Records so they can correct the Vetstar account.
  
  
12. Reports written in Vetstar are part of your patient's electronic medical record. Please do not print them for the physical record.
    
    
13. To view or print reports, you may click on one of the 'Generate Report' buttons while in the editor. .
    
    Or, access your patient's account then perform one of the following options:
    
    
    • Enter one of the following quick commands:
      allrep all reports over all visits
      visitrpt Patient Visit Report (discharge/referral)
      hisrep History Report
      surgrep Surgery Report
      soaprep SOAP Report
      
      
    • Click on the Reports button then select the report that you want to view.
      
      Note: you may remove file information from the footer of your printed reports:
      
      
      This is a setting from Internet Explorer's page set up. Visit http://vetmed.illinois.edu/vetstar/ReportFooterFix.htm for instructions.
      
      
14. All reports are included in the Visit Summary:
    • Click on the Visit Summary button
    • Enter quick command summ.
      

Vetstar Training/Reference Page

Vetstar Information Home | Computing Services