Welcome to the interactive dotScribe Tutorial!

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Step One: Download and install the dotScribe app onto your computer and accept all permissions.

 

Step Two: Once you have the app open on your desktop, start typing and suggestions will appear.

Click the dotScribe icon         at the lower right of the suggestions window to open the dotScribe Prefix Legend and explore what dotScribe can do for you!

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Tutorial Instructions

 

1. Type words or a dotScribe prefix followed by what you're searching for. Do not use the spacebar if searching multiple terms. The spacebar will reset the suggestions. Typing will open the dotScribe suggestions window.

 

2. Use the Execute Key (Left CTL is default) or click on the template to paste text where you're typing

*See how to change your default execute key below.

3. Click on the dotScribe icon         at the lower right of the dotScribe suggestions window to open the dotScribe Prefix Legend. 

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Part One: Basic App Functions

 

1. Autocomplete

 

dotScribe works where you do! Just start typing medical terms or medication names and press the Execute Key to paste. Commonly misspelled non-medical terms are also included. 

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Tip: Type without using spaces for more accuracy when searching for multi-word phrases (e.g. type "dequerv" instead of "de querv" for de Quervain's tenosynovitis)

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Type below: 

prosopagnosia

sphenoethmoid recess

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2. Document any new problem with ,hpi

 

Every template is standardized and includes common findings to increase history-taking speed and accuracy. A "pertinent negatives" Review Of Systems is also included in each template to help you avoid missing key symptoms.

Our free text templates are easy to navigate, work great with dictation software, and reduce stress in case of an audit.

Type below: 
,hpiDME - for common face-to-face encounters needed for Durable Medical Equipment
,hpiTemplate - for a blank HPI template

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Please see the dotScribe Prefix Legend         for Annual Wellness, Physical template abbreviations

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3. Document a follow up visit with ,fu

 

Follow-up templates are brief and include a suggested "pertinent negatives" Review Of Systems. Simply document a patient's status and/or adherence to treatment goals and move on. Sometimes less is more. Consider using these simple templates if your patient has multiple complaints.

 

Type below: 

,fuED Emergency Visit - for emergency department follow-up template

,fuHospitalization - for hospital follow-up template

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4. Document a normal review of systems with ,ros 

 

These templates consist of NORMAL ROS findings. Each is concise and ready to insert directly into your note. You can also build your own from our full Review Of Systems list: ",rosallnormal"

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Remember that all of our HPI and Follow-up templates include a problem-specific negative Review Of Systems. We recommend the ",ros in HPI" phrase under the ROS section in your EHR to avoid redundant work.

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Type below: 

,rosCV

,rosAll

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Document a physical exam with ,exam

 

We've created DISEASE-SPECIFIC exam findings that are easy to edit on the go, as well as common NORMAL exam findings by SYSTEM. You can also build your own from our full Physical Exam list: ",examallnormal". 

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Type below: 

,examNormal

,examPneumonia 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Make a diagnosis or an order set with ,dx

 

Diagnosis shortcuts include common exam findings and initial tests meant to support your medical decision making. They can also be used as a reference to document a physical exam or create order sets within your EHR.

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If needed, type the entire phrase or word that you're searching for (e.g. hypertension or hyperlipidemia) to improve search accuracy.

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Type below: 

,dxScabies

,dxCOPD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7. Review your differential diagnoses with ,dd

 

Immediately increase your diagnostic accuracy without a pause. With these shortcuts, you can view the most common differentials for your patient's problems at a glance.  

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Type below: 

,ddArthritis 

,ddAUB 

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8. Spell out any medical abbreviation with ,

 

Love medical abbreviations, but your billing department doesn't? Or can't understand someone's note because you're stuck on an abbreviation? We have your solution. Simply access the most commonly used medical abbreviations with a comma.

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Type below: 

,opsi

,PE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Gain control of your inbox with ,msg

 

Is your inbox overflowing with medication refills, patient messages, and results? Based on hours of experience, we've created hundreds of boilerplate templates to make communicating with patients and staff a quick and simple process. These can be mixed and matched to gain better control of your inbox.

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Type below: 

,msg = patient message
,smsg = staff message

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Find a billing code for a procedure with ,code

 

Search no longer! Quickly find the code for your in-office procedure and billing is done.

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Type below: 

,codeShoulder

,codeAnnual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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11. Solve for ,X

 

Use a single line or sentence all of the time? This abbreviation was created for all the odds and ends type of phrases that don't quite fit anywhere else.

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Type below: 

,xCondition

,xSocial

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Part Two: Instant Web Search

 

Web search can easily be performed while typing in your EHR. Use dotScribe to search only trusted medical websites so you can find what you need as soon as you think of needing it.

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dotScribe's unique search engine provides unprecedented speed in delivering the resources you need. Deactivate folders of unwanted websites to optimize your search results.

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*Web search function varies when using a remote desktop

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12. Review medication dosing, indications, or

side-effects

 

Now you can have every medication instantly at your fingertips! Individual accounts may be required.

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Type below: 

,epocFabior

,mscpAbacavir 

,utdSildenafil

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13. Search your favorite medical resources

 

​Instantly search topics on UpToDate, Medscape, Epocrates, DynaMed, 5MinuteConsult, and Merck Manual Professional with a short character phrase. Individual accounts may be required.

 

Type below: 

,mrkXeroderma

,utdGout 

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14. Search medication rankings

 

​Rapidly find what medications have worked for other patient's medical conditions.

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Type below: 

,grxAsthma 

,drugsDiabetes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15. Print a patient education handout for exercises or a medical condition

 

​Never let your patient leave without trusted information again. Resources are available from familydoctor.org, OrthoInfo by the AAOS, UpToDate, Merck Manual, Mayo Clinic, and 5MinuteConsult (individual accounts may be required).

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Type below: 

,eduHammertoe

,eduCerebralpalsy 

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16. Open a medical calculator with ,calc

 

We've got you covered. Calculators are available from MDCalc, Medscape, and UpToDate (account may be required).

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Type below: 

,calcAniongap​

,calcChildPughScore

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17. Review a procedure or a special test for a physical exam with ,procz

 

​Type a short phrase to find an instructional video or How-To guide and you'll be ready for action in no time!

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Online videos of how to perform Special Tests on physical exam can also be searched by using the ",procz" prefix.

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Type below: 

,proczDixHallpike

,proczParacentesis

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18. Open radiology resources with ,radz

 

​Help is at your fingertips! Radiology resource searches include Medscape and American College of Radiology.

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Type below: 

,radzAbdominal

,radzHead

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19. Open anatomy resources with ,anat

 

Anatomy search results come from Medscape and KenHub (account may be required).

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Type below: 

,anatSpine 

,anatKnee 

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Part Three: Customize Settings

 

Get the most out of dotScribe with customized settings. 

 

​Settings allows you to control how many suggestions appear, where your suggestions appear, and the key you prefer to select a suggested phrase.

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20. Deactivate unused folders

 

dotScribe templates come in 3 forms based on placeholders found in common EHRs. Deactivate the "Chart with" folders that you won’t use to prevent redundant suggestions. This is done by selecting the "Set Inactive" option in the folder settings menu.

FOLDER                           TEMPLATE TEXT / PLACEHOLDER Example
Chart with ***                 Patient presents with *** and ***
Chart with __                  Patient presents with _ and _
Chart with [ ]                  Patient presents with [ ] and [ ]

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21. Customize your "Execute" Key

 

Left CTL is the default Execute Key to avoid interference with other programs. Click the dotScribe icon on your taskbar to open the dotScribe menu. Choose Settings to change your Execute Key. TAB has also been popular Execute Keys among users.

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22. Turn dotScribe's suggestions off and on

 

​Suggestions can be turned on and off by selecting the option in the taskbar menu.

Or use the shortcut:

Press CTL and "." (period key) to turn suggestions off (icon turns gray).

CTL+"." again to turn suggestions back on (icon turns green).

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23. Import your own phrases from Excel

 

Excel files can be uploaded through app.dotscribe.com. Enter your library, click "Import Phrases", and open the sample excel sheet. Format your content to match the sample excel sheet and upload your phrases! It's that simple.

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24. Add a new phrase

 

Select the folder that you'd like to create a new phrase in and click Add Phrase. Select Edit. Type or paste text into the New Phrase window, designate an abbreviation, click Save, and you're done! Phrase Descriptions and Tags are optional.

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To create a phrase that opens a web page, just paste the link into the New Phrase window (link must begin with either "www" or "http"). Assign an abbreviation and click Save. Selecting the phrase will now open your web link.

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The Sync Phrases option in the taskbar menu may take several minutes but can run in the background when dotScribe is minimized. 

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25. Browse your dotScribe Library

 

Phrase suggestions are by far the fastest way to search content. Refer to the dotScribe Prefix Legend to instantly access anything you need. It's just that easy.

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Press ALT+SPACEBAR at the same time to open the dotScribe Search Bar. There's also an option to open the search bar on the dotScribe taskbar menu. The Search Bar is a classic search of your entire dotScribe library.

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You can increase the accuracy and speed of dotScribe suggestions by deactivating folders you don’t use. Simply click on the folder icon to activate or deactivate a folder. When you're done making changes - click SYNC to save your preferences to the cloud.

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26. Browse and search content Online

 

dotScribe content can easily be viewed and organized within folders by clicking the arrows at the top of each column.

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Use the search window to search for tags and terms within a folder.

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Thank you for using dotScribe.

Happy charting!

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