This article describes the Accurx desktop behaviours for saving to the medical record and accessing relevant records when necessary.
Please note, our web-based product, Accurx Web, does not have any link to an EPR; this article is in reference to our Accurx Desktop product, used by organisations running EMIS, SystmOne or Vision.
Accurx access to the patient record đ
Accurx Desktop is able to connect to EMIS, SystmOne or Vision via an API, an interface provided by the medical record system which allows it to read and write from it. This access is strictly controlled and is only possible when the relevant access is given in the EPR (i.e. EMIS' EMAS manager settings, device approval in SystmOne, or specific remote installation for Vision).
Regular messages save under the user who sent the message đŹ
When a user wants to send an individual message or a batch message, Accurx Desktop will look up the relevant patient details (e.g. name, DOB, NHS number and mobile number). This access will show up in any audit logs as the staff member who was sending the message and logged in to the EPR at the time.
Some Accurx actions access the EPR under any currently logged-in user đ
Some of our features allow messages to be set up in advance or involve interacting with the appointment book (Appointment Reminders, Scheduled messaging and Self-Book).
For these cases, it's important we check the medical record for up-to-date information, to:
Check for the patient's latest mobile number
Check the patient is still alive, and still registered to the organisation, to avoid any upset or confusion by messages sent
Maximise the chance of an appointment being booked successfully
In order to perform these checks, Accurx accesses the medical record via any approved staff member who is currently connected to their EPR. This will happen for the following behaviours:
When a scheduled message is triggered to send (i.e. messages that have been scheduled to send in the future and appointment reminders)
When a patient books or cancels an appointment using our 'self-book' functionality which allows patients to book directly into the EPR appointment book.
Please note: this may mean that an audit trail would show logs of unrelated staff members accessing a record, but this log will refer to an automated Accurx action that was performed while that staff member's Accurx Desktop toolbar was connected to their EPR.Accurx does not have its own EMIS user account. Instead, it operates through the EMIS session logged in on the computer running Accurx. As a result, audit entries may show the name of the staff member whose EMIS session was active, even if they did not actively use Accurx. These entries are labeled "accuRx Chain" in the EMIS audit trail and may include actions such as demographics extracted, coded events extracted, patient search data extracted, and slots for session extracted.
Understanding 'API Patient Data Extraction' Events
The 'API Patient Data Extraction' label in Accurx audit logs indicates that Accurx used its integration to read or write patient information in your clinical system. These events are logged when Accurx performs actions such as saving a message to a patientâs record, validating patient details, or processing workflows like Self-Book links. The event may be attributed to a specific user because Accurx uses the connected Toolbar session of that user to perform the action at that time.
Common Triggers for API Events
API events can be triggered by various workflows that involve patient data retrieval or updates. Examples include:
Self-Book Bookings: Confirming a booking made through a Self-Book link.
Patient Detail Retrieval: Accessing patient details when a patient submits their date of birth (DOB) via an Accurx link.
Record Updates: Saving messages or other information to a patientâs record. These actions occur as part of Accurx's integration with your clinical system and do not necessarily involve direct user interaction.
Misconceptions About API Events
It is important to note that 'API Patient Data Extraction' events do not necessarily mean that a user opened or attempted to open a patientâs notes. These entries reflect actions performed by Accurxâs API, which may include background processes such as:
Validating patient details when a patient interacts with an Accurx link.
Confirming bookings or processing other workflows that do not involve sending an SMS. These events are logged under the user whose Toolbar session was active at the time, but they do not indicate direct access to patient records by that user.
If you ever need clarification on an audit log, please do get in touch with us and we can confirm whether the action was performed by a user or was an automated check. SystmOne or EMIS should also be able to provide this information for you. Understanding these events can help clarify their purpose and ensure accurate interpretation of audit logs before reaching out for support.
Preventive Measures and Best Practices
To prevent unintended audit entries, especially after hours, follow these best practices:
Log out of EMIS: Ensure that EMIS sessions are logged out on computers where Accurx is running.
Close Accurx: Shut down the Accurx application on computers that remain powered on but are not actively monitored. These steps help avoid automated tasks being logged under a staff memberâs name when they are not actively using the system.
Saving copies of messages to the patient record đž
When you send messages to patients, we save a copy of this in the patient record. This is saved under the name of whoever was sending the message and logged in to the EPR at the time.
Accurx also saves any relevant SNOMED codes attached to the message.
In EMIS, messages are saved into the Consultations and Care History screens:
In SystmOne, messages are saved into the New Journal:
In Vision, messages are saved into the Conversion view. Please note that, unlike EMIS and SystmOne, SNOMED codes are not saved automatically into the Vision record and these should be added manually.
Similarly, any responses (for instance, when you 'Allow patient to respond') are also saved to the record, only when you choose to 'Save to the record':
Batch messages
Messages sent using our batch messaging feature are also saved to the record as above.
Responses to batch messages come to the Accurx inbox by default for you to choose to 'Save to the record' as above. For some batch message responses, you can choose to skip this step and save to the record automatically (for instance, questionnaires like smoking status which don't need clinician review.
accuBook
COVID invitations sent from accuBook are saved to the record in the same way as above - you can read more on this here. One thing to note is that appointment reminder messages are not saved to the record.