Vitals

Optional module

Available when Vitals is turned on in Plugins.

Vitals records measurements such as blood pressure, pulse, temperature, weight and blood sugar, on a visit or straight on the patient. Each value is checked against its normal range and flagged High or Low, and the patient’s readings are drawn as trends.

To write up a visit (complaint, findings, diagnosis and plan), add a Progress note from the SOAP note or Initial consultation template. See Notes.

Where it appears

Place	What you see
An appointment’s page	A Vitals section with the readings taken during the visit, plus a Record vitals action.
The patient’s Vitals tab	The latest value of each vital sign with a small trend, a large chart for the one you pick, and every reading in a table.
The patient’s Overview	A Vitals section in Patient 360 with the latest values. An abnormal latest reading also shows as an alert at the top.
The patient’s activity	Vitals recorded events, each linking to its visit.

Record vitals

1. Open the appointment and choose Record vitals, or open the patient’s Vitals tab and choose Record vitals. The Record vitals page opens.
2. Each vital sign has its own card. Fill in only what you measured and leave the rest empty. For blood pressure, enter both numbers (for example 120 and 80).
3. While you type, the card shows High or Low and turns red or blue, and a bar shows where the value sits against the normal range.
4. Calculated cards, such as BMI, fill themselves in as soon as the values they need are entered (BMI needs Weight and Height).
5. On the right, under When: for a visit, the readings belong to that visit. From the patient’s tab you can set Measured at to an earlier time; leave it empty to use now.
6. Add a Note if needed. The panel below counts the values entered and how many are outside the normal range.
7. Choose Save vitals. You return to the visit or the patient’s Vitals tab.

A value outside the vital sign’s accepted range (for example a pulse of 999) is treated as a typing mistake: its card turns red and shows the accepted range, for example “A value is outside the accepted range (20 to 250). Check it for typing mistakes.” Save vitals stays disabled until it’s corrected.

Delete a reading

Choose the bin icon on the reading (in the table on the patient’s tab, or next to the reading on the visit), give a Reason and choose Delete. The reading disappears from the patient’s vitals and trends. The reason is kept with the deleted record. You need Delete vitals.

Set up vital signs

Open Settings › Vital signs (needs Manage vital signs). New clinics start with:

Blood pressure, Pulse, Temperature, Respiratory rate, Oxygen saturation (SpO₂), Weight, Height, BMI (calculated), Blood glucose, Pain score.

These are only added once, when the clinic is created. If you delete or change them, they are never added back.

Drag a vital sign by its handle to change the order it appears in everywhere. Choose Add vital sign, or the arrow on a vital sign, to open its page. It has three parts:

Part	Field	What it does
Name and unit	Name	In each of your clinic’s languages.
	Code	Short and unique, such as weight. Formulas refer to vital signs by their code. A code that another vital sign’s formula uses can’t be changed.
	Unit	Shown next to every value, such as kg or mmHg.
	Active	Inactive vital signs can’t be recorded, but past readings stay visible.
How it’s recorded	Value	Single number, Two numbers (written like 120/80) or Calculated.
	Formula	For Calculated only, for example weight / (height / 100) ** 2. Use numbers, + - * / **, brackets and codes; click a vital sign under the field to add its code. A formula can only use single-number vital signs that are typed in.
	Decimal places	0 to 3.
Ranges	Normal range	Readings below or above are flagged Low or High. A bar previews the range. Two-number vital signs have a range for each number.
	Accepted values	Anything outside this range is refused as a typing mistake. Not used for calculated vital signs.

Choose Save to return to the list.

Reports

A Vital sign readings report source is added (every value, with patient, time and who measured it). The Patients and Staff sources gain a Vitals recorded count. See Building reports.

Deleting a patient

A patient with vitals can’t be deleted: “They are kept for the medical record and can’t be deleted with the patient.”

Permissions

Permission	What it allows	Given by default to
Read vitals	See vitals. Also needs Read patient profiles.	Doctor, Nurse, Manager
Record vitals	Record new vitals.	Doctor, Nurse, Manager
Delete vitals	Delete a recorded reading, with a reason.	Manager
Manage vital signs	Add, edit and reorder vital signs in Settings.	Manager