Overview
In EMIS Web, you can register patients who live outside of your standard catchment area as long as you record an appropriate note during registration. Confirm the exact wording with your Health Authority or Integrated Care Board and enter it in the GP Links Information screen. Examples of accepted notes include OUT OF AREA REG, OUT OF AREA SCHEME, OOA REG, PCS-OOA, or similar variations. You can also code these patients with 912N – “Registered patient lives outside practice area.”
Key Steps
- Access the Registration section in EMIS Web and initiate a new registration for the patient.
- In the GP Links Information screen, add the preferred note or code to mark the patient as out of area.
- Optionally, create a protocol alert or a warning that flags these patients for all staff.
“Staff can quickly identify out-of-area patients from a simple code alert, saving time and reducing queries about local service entitlement.”
If you need to search for or batch-manage out-of-area patients, the 912N clinical code provides a helpful way to filter their records. Make sure local procedures are in place to handle billing or external service referrals should the patient require them.
Did you know?
If your practice supports a broader network of patients, Hero Health’s Care Navigation & Triage functionality can streamline signposting to services nearer to an out-of-area patient’s location. This can save enormous administrative time and provide timely care options in the right setting.
