Create and Edit Qualifiers

You can add qualifiers to one or multiple clinical items, clone qualifiers, edit qualifiers and remove them from clinical items if required.

Before you add a qualifier, review the properties and values required.
Table 1. Qualifier Properties
Property Description
Qualifier Description Name of the qualifier. This should uniquely identify the data even when the qualifier is reported on without the context of the clinical item to which it is attached.
Summary Set to add this qualifier type to the Qualifier Summary on the Main Summary in a patient's clinical record. This shows the latest date and value for this qualifier for that patient.

If this setting is changed for a qualifier that already has a lot of data, saving the change may take a few moments because patient data is being processed.
Show on Alert Summary If your health service uses structured alerts, set to add this qualifier to structured Alerts on the Main Summary in a patient's clinical record. Qualifiers are added as extra columns. If a clinical item with a class of Alert is added to the patient's record, the qualifier values are also displayed in the alert.
Export Code The code used to facilitate identification of qualifiers for reporting purposes.
System Code A code used to facilitate specific behaviours in the Communicare program. Nothing should be entered here without consultation with Communicare to confirm the behaviours that will arise for that code. Unrecognised codes will have no effect.
Aboriginality Determines whether this qualifier is only for persons of a particular Aboriginality. Leave blank if it should be applicable to everyone. This cannot be changed once the qualifier has been created.
Sex Determines whether this qualifier is only for persons of a particular sex. Leave blank if it should be applicable to everyone. This cannot be changed once the qualifier has been created.
Value Type Determines the way in which the qualifier appears in the clinical item. For more information, see Table 2.
Currency The period of time that the qualifier will be current or up-to-date. If a qualifier is added to a patient's qualifier summary, it will be current for the amount of time specified here. If a qualifier is older than its currency period, the date value is highlighted in red in the qualifier summary list. If you leave this field blank, the qualifier will always be treated as current.
Units The units in which the qualifier is measured.
Min Value The minimum possible value for this qualifier.
Summary Order Qualifiers listed on the Qualifier Summary in the patient's clinical record, for which Summary is set are sorted alphabetically by default.
To order the qualifiers displayed on the Qualifier Summary, enter the number 1 or higher. Qualifiers with a summary order of 1 are listed first. If there is more than one qualifier with the same summary order priority, they are sorted alphabetically.
Tip: To prioritise the display order, space the qualifiers. For an example, see Table 3.

If no sorting is required, leave the field blank.

Max Value The maximum possible value for this qualifier.
Definition This section is displayed above the qualifier on the clinical item when a user is entering data. It can be used to clarify the measurement description or to add specific instructions as to when and how the qualifier is to be used.

When adding a new qualifier, you are required to select the type of value it should store. This cannot be changed once the qualifier has been created.

Table 2. Value Types
Type Description
Address Book Lookup Allows the user to select an address book record that is available for secure communications from the Communicare address book.
Date Value is any valid format date.
Date Time Value is any valid format date and 24 hour time.
Drawing A preset template image to draw on for examinations and so on. This qualifier type is not currently user-definable. Contact Communicare Support for requests for further drawing qualifiers.
Dropdown list A single value can be selected from a predefined list. Define the options in the lower grid. For more information, see Dropdown List Qualifiers.
Free text Values can be any short text to a maximum of 40 characters.
Image An image file can be loaded into the clinical item. Supported file types are:
  • JPEG (*.jpg;*.jpeg)
  • Windows Bitmap (*.bmp)
  • Icon files (*.ico)
  • Windows Metafiles (*.emf;*.wmf)
  • GIF (*.gif)
  • Portable Network Graphics (*.png)
Investigation Request Select to include a button in the clinical item that opens the Add Investigation Request window. The investigation keyword included in the Keyword field identifies one or more investigation requests. Clicking the button generates an investigation request with the identified tests associated with the investigation keyword automatically selected.

When the clinical item is saved there is a record that the investigation request was generated from that clinical item. In future this will allow results of specific tests to be matched to the item (say, antenatal check) that generated the request.

For more information, see Investigation Keywords.
Memo Value is an unlimited amount of free text.
Numeric

Values can be numbers, including decimals. Units must be defined.

Specifying a range of values: numeric qualifiers can have maximum and minimum values defined. This will prevent users from entering values below the minimum or above the maximum. If the user enters a value outside the range, they are warned. For example, Hb (Haemoglobin) (g/L) must be between 18 and 220. Users must correct the data before they can save the clinical item.

Person A person (patient) in the Communicare database.
Tick box A check box that can be set. Defaults to unselected.
Time Value is any 24 hour format time.
Title A section header. Does not collect patient data.
Yes, No Values can be Yes, No or blank (not stated). Defaults to blank.
To prioritise the display order of qualifiers in the Qualifier Summary, space the qualifiers using the values you specify in the Summary Order field.
Table 3. Summary Order value example
Group Summary Order value Qualifier type
Investigations 100 Hb (Haemoglobin)
110 ACR (Alb/Creat Ratio)
120 HbA1c
130 HDL Level
140 LDL Level
150 Total cholesterol level
160 INR (International Normalised Ratio)
170 Target: INR (range)
Observations 200 BP – Systolic blood pressure
210 BP – Diastolic blood pressure
220 Weight
230 BMI
240 Waist circumference
250 Waist/Height ratio
260 Blood glucose level - random
Lifestyle 300 Smoking status
310 Exercise Level
320 Alcohol consumption level
330 Alcohol AUDIT-C total
340 Diet Assessment
Screening 400 Prostate cancer screening still required
410 Breast cancer screening still required
420 Cervical screening still required
430 Opted out Bowel Cancer Screening Clinic
440 Opted out Cervical Screening Clinic
450 Opted out of Bowel Cancer Screening NCSR
460 Opted out of Breast Screening Clinic
470 Opted out of BreastScreen Program
480 Opted out of Cervical Screening NCSR
To add a qualifier:
  1. Select File > Reference Tables > Qualifier Types.
  2. In the Qualifer Type Maintenance window, click Add iconAdd and add qualifier properties, as described in Table 1.
  3. Click Save iconSave.

Editing qualifiers

To edit a qualifier:
  1. Select File > Reference Tables > Qualifier Types.
  2. In the Qualifer Type Maintenance window, click Edit iconEdit.
  3. Edit the required qualifier properties, as described in Table 1 .
  4. Click Save iconSave.

Cloning qualifiers

Note: When a qualifier is cloned, only the data that you can edit in Qualifier Type Properties is cloned. Related Charts, Clinical Items and Recalls are not cloned.
To clone a qualifier to use as the basis for another qualifier:
  1. Select File > Reference Tables > Qualifier Types.
  2. In the Qualifer Type Maintenance window, right-click on a qualifier in the qualifiers list and select Clone Selected Item.
  3. Open the new qualifier and edit its properties.
  4. Click Save iconSave.
The cloned qualifier is coloured purple to denote that it is a local qualifier.