Problem:
My SOAP Notes/Other Text Content is Displaying as Unexpected Characters or Symbols
Issue Explanation & Summary
We understand how critical it is for your documentation to appear as intended and function seamlessly within our system. While our EMR is designed to handle a wide range of data, copy-pasting content from external sources—or creating content in OfficeEMR using unsupported browsers—can sometimes lead to display inconsistencies. These issues typically arise due to differences in how external systems encode their data, which may not always align with the supported standards of our Chrome browser interface.
Our team works hard to accommodate as many scenarios as possible, but with countless variations in how external systems and browsers structure their content, it's simply not feasible to account for every possibility without impacting the system's flexibility and efficiency. For instance, one way to fully prevent these issues would be to restrict copy-pasting of external content altogether. However, this approach would significantly disrupt workflows and create additional frustrations for users. We aim to balance system flexibility with reliability, enabling you to work efficiently and addressing those challenges that are practical to handle.
It’s also important to note that display issues caused by encoding do not alter the actual text data stored in our system. For example, if you copy-paste "this is the patient's medication" and it displays with unexpected icons or formatting issues onscreen, the raw text stored in the database will still accurately read as "this is the patient's medication." This is because the database saves the raw text as-is, without attempting to interpret or render any hidden formatting. However, when displaying this text on the screen, the system must render it visually, which is where issues can arise from the original encoding.
That is also why the content typically prints correctly, as encoded data is processed more uniformly during the printing process. When content is printed, the system processes the raw text data stored in the database and converts it into a format specifically designed for printing. This process often bypasses the complexities of rendering the text for a web-based interface, where there is a high likelihood that some of the encoding from external sources will cause display anomalies. In many cases, you are not seeing those due to additional display logic that has been added. However, it is not always feasible or possible to prevent the display issues.
Example:
This is an example of encoding causing a display issue using Safari to create content within OfficeEMR:
Solution
To help prevent these issues, we recommend the following best practices:
- Use Chrome Browser: We support and encourage the use of Chrome as our system is coded and tested extensively for compatibility with it. Using Chrome not only ensures optimal performance within the EMR but also provides better interoperability when accessing external data sources.
- Strip Encoding: When copy-pasting from sources known to cause issues, use a tool like Notepad to strip out any hidden formatting or encoding. To do this, paste the content into Notepad first, then copy it again from Notepad before pasting it into the EMR. This simple step cleans up the formatting of the copied data so that the pasted content is in a simpler style to reduce encoding discrepancies.
- Review Notes Before Signing: If you’ve copy-pasted content—or are reusing notes that might include previously copied content—we strongly encourage reviewing your notes for any display anomalies before locking them permanently through signing. Cleaning up any
By following the practices outlined above, you can ensure both the stored text, and the displayed content remain clean and consistent. We are committed to providing a flexible and effective system while offering support for any specific difficulties you may encounter.
We appreciate your understanding and are here to help if you need further assistance. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Accessing Notepad
Accessing Notepad on a standard Microsoft PC or laptop is simple and can be done in several ways:
Option 1: Using the Search Bar
- Click on the Start Menu (Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen).
- Type Notepad into the search bar.
- Select Notepad from the search results to open it.
Option 2: From the Start Menu
- Click on the Start Menu.
- Scroll down the list of apps to find Windows Accessories.
- Click Notepad to open it.
Option 3: Create a Shortcut
For frequent use, you can create a shortcut:
- Right-click on the desktop or a folder where you want the shortcut.
- Select New > Shortcut.
- In the location field, type notepad and click Next.
- Name the shortcut Notepad and click Finish.
Once opened, simply paste your content into Notepad, copy it again from there, and paste it into the EMR. This process removes hidden formatting or encoding that could cause issues.
