Overview
With PIMSY, documenting group services is streamlined and efficient. When a Group Note is created, the system automatically generates individual notes for each designated group member. This feature reduces redundancy and saves the clinician valuable time and effort, whilst ensuring that each client’s record is properly documented.
Required Permissions and Prerequisites
- This article is in reference to the Desktop application
- Please assign the Create, Modify, View, and Delete permissions for the following rule(s):
- Group Notes
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Navigating to the Calendar
From the top navigation menu, go to:
Utilities > SAL > My SAL Calendar
OR
From the Quick Launch Menu on the left side of the screen, select My SAL Calendar.
Step 2: Creating a Group Appointment
Right-click on the desired date and time and select New SAL to bring up the appointment window (Edit SAL).
Instead of selecting a specific client under the Client Name dropdown, you will instead select a group from the Client Group Dropdown option. To view or further manage the client group, click the icon to the right of the Client Group dropdown. This will bring up the Manage Client Group Appointment Assignment window.
From here you can add additional clients from the Unassigned Clients panel on the left to the Assigned Clients panel on the right.
Adjust the Start time and End time as needed and then enter all other appointment criteria such as Billing Code, Division, Location, and Room.
If the appointment is a telehealth session, be sure to check the Telehealth box located at the bottom of the Group Note window. Once the appointment is saved and a SAL# is generated, the system will automatically send a reminder email to every client assigned to the group.
Step 3: Creating a Group Note from the Appointment
To create the Group Note, select the Group Note button from the appointment.
In the Group Note window, the left-side panel displays both Unassigned Clients (on top) and Assigned Clients (below). To assign or unassign a client to the group session, simply double-click their name.
Before saving, make sure all appointment information is accurate, including the Billing Code. Once verified, click Save to generate the Group Note #, which links the note to each assigned client.
Session notes for the group can be entered into the large Note field within the Group Note window. Please remember that client-specific information should not be included in this section, as it will be shared across all assigned group members. Once the group note is complete, click Generate/Update Notes to copy this section of the session to each of the individual notes, for each client in the group.
To document the individual portion of the group session for each client, select a client from the list and click View Note, or double click on the name. You'll notice that the Group Session Note is automatically carried over into the individual client’s note, providing a shared foundation for documentation.
From within the individual note, users can access and update relevant clinical details. This includes opening Q&A Forms, viewing or updating the client’s Substance use, Medications, and Diagnosis. To document treatment progress, you can indicate the goals addressed during the session by clicking the Goal button.
If a client arrives late or leaves early during a group session, you can adjust their start and end times on the Basic Details tab of their individual note. This change applies only to that client and does not affect the rest of the group. Additionally, the billing code for an individual client can be updated directly within their note, allowing for accurate documentation and billing based on their specific participation.
Step 4: Releasing the Group Note
When completing a client note, selecting the Released checkbox will lock the note from further editing and indicate that it is ready for billing. If the note requires review before billing, you can select Released for Review instead. This locks the note but allows it to be reviewed and approved by a supervisor before it is officially marked as released and ready for billing.
Additional Information
- Group notes can be accessed from the Clients menu option. Clients > Group Notes
- When saving a group note, if there are any errors, PIMSY will notify you via an error message.
- If a group member is late or cannot attend the meeting, you can remove their name from the Assigned Clients , moving them to the Unassigned Clients list. PIMSY will ask for a reason on why they are late or did not attend so it can be logged in the note.
- If someone was invited, but is not a normal participant in this group, they can be added by double-clicking their name from the Unassigned Clients list.
- Payments can be taken from individual clients by highlighting their name, and clicking the Take Payment button.
- Addendums can be reviewed or added to the individual notes by clicking the Addendum button.