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- What's New?
- COVID-19 and Bp Premier
- Program, drug, and database updates
- Install for the first time
- Set up Management
- Set up Clinical
- Convert or merge a database
- Link or convert billing data
Medicare Web Services and PRODA FAQs
This article presents the questions asked by Bp Premier users during the Bp Premier Medicare Web Services and PRODA BeInTheKnow webinars delivered by Best Practice Software.
Bp Premier Saffron SP3 Release Notes
Full release notes for Bp Premier Saffron Service Pack 3 (SP3) including new features and enhancements, install instructions, bug fixes, and known issues in this release.
Saffron SP3 Rev1 Masterclass
This article contains a recording of the Saffron SP3 Rev1 Masterclass run on the 20th and 21st of April 2022.
Saffron SP3 Masterclass FAQ
Frequently asked questions from the Saffron SP3 Masterclass sessions run in late February and early March 2022.
What's New in Data Updates
Describes the contents of the current and previous monthly Bp Premier Data Update packages.
Medicare Web Services and PRODA
Services Australia is upgrading the technology used by Practice management software such as Bp Premier that connect to Services Australia for some digital health services.
System Requirements
Windows operating system and hardware requirements for Bp Premier server and workstations.
Bp Premier Latest News
The Latest News section provides an easy method for accessing recent information about Bp Premier, such as recent updates and known issues, recent newsletter articles, and tips and tricks.
How Active Ingredient Prescribing Works in Bp Premier
This article explains the changes that have been made to the prescribing workflow due to the introduction of Active Ingredient Prescribing.
Bp eOrdering Partners
The Bp Partner Network includes our eOrdering parters from version Saffron Service Pack 1 (SP1) and later. You can configure eOrder labs and send electonic requests directly to the lab.
Changes in vaccination reporting FAQ
FAQs from Bp Premier users during the recent COVID-19 Vaccinations and Bp Premier Webinars run during the week beginning March 22 2021.
Known issues
All Known issues for supported versions of Bp Premier, including workarounds and fix version where available.
Changes in vaccination reporting FAQ
FAQs from Bp Premier users during the recent COVID-19 Vaccinations and Bp Premier Webinars run during the week beginning March 22 2021.
Updates for managing COVID-19
Provides links to MBS and RACGP resources on COVID-19 or Coronavirus, some guidance on integrated and non-integrated telehealth and telephone consults, and advice on managing groups of COVID-19 patients.
COVID-19 Vaccinations with an AIR Provider Number
GP Respiratory Clinics and selected Indigenous Medical Centres (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation clinics) have been provided with a specific AIR provider number for the entire practice for Covid-19 Vaccinations.
COVID-19 vaccinations and Bp Premier
This article provides information and resources for clinics administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Booking COVID-19 Vaccinations
Guidance and suggestions on workflows for booking COVID-19 vaccination patients.
Group patients in the appointment book by user
If your practice is required to manage a significant number of patients related to COVID-19, you may wish to differentiate these patients in the appointment book as a group so they can be managed separately to your regular patients.
Group patients in the appointment book by location
Explains the method of grouping bulk appointments in the appointment book under a virtual location, which could be used to group COVID-19 or any vaccinations to keep the appointment book organised.
COVID-19 Database Queries
You can use the COVID-19 At risk patients query to search for patients who are eligible for or have had one or both doses, as well as manage bookings.
COVID-19 clinical reminders
If you have performed consults with patients requiring COVID-19 tests, you can send them reminders to ensure they have organised to be tested.
Create an AutoFill clinical screening assessment
Save time during consults by creating an AutoFill clinical screening assessment in the patient record, for patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms.
COVID-19 letter and Bp Comms templates
The COVID-19 non-medical clearance template can be used when patients request a letter clearing them of COVID-19. You can also modify exiting templates or create new ones to assist with treating COVID-19.
COVID-19 Reasons for Visit and Diagnoses
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, new diagnoses and reasons for visit have been made availabel in Bp Premier.
Telehealth and telephone appointments
Use telehealth appointments to perform consultations remotely. Using telehealth consults minimises the possibility of at-risk patient contracting COVID-19, and ensures patients who suspect they may have contracted COVID-19 can continue to self-isolate while receiving medical advice.
Add COVID-19 pathology to Favourites
Set up COVID-19 tests as favourites in the pathology request screen to quickly access them when requesting pathology.
COVID-19 patient education materials
Provide your patients with correct, up-to-date educational materials related to COVID-19. You can also import materials from resources like RACGP or Best Practice Software to distribute to patients, related to telehealth, for example.
COVID-19 bulk billing incentives for at risk patients
As of 20 April 2020, two new bulk billing incentive items have been added for COVID-19 at-risk patients. This article explains when and how to apply them.
System Requirements
Windows operating system and hardware requirements for Bp Premier server and workstations.
Download a Bp Premier program upgrade
Download the latest program upgrade from the Best Practice Software website Resources page.
Run the data update automatically
As of Saffron SP2, you have the option to set up Data Updates to download and apply automatically when they are released.
Update the drug database
How to download and install the latest drug and data update from the Best Practice Software website.
Update or check your Bp Premier licence
Enter a new or updated licence key, and how Bp Premier checks your licence conditions against providers, including Allied Health and part-time providers.
End of support (sunset) for older versions
End of support or sunset schedule for older versions of Bp Premier.
Upgrade SQL Server for Bp Premier
Upgrade the edition or version of SQL Server on your Bp Premier server. Upgrade from an Express Edition to a full edition.
Updating JAVA on Bp Premier server and workstations
How to update the Java version on a Bp Premier server or workstation without affecting the Medicare Module installed.
Moving Bp Premier to a new server
Provides instructions on moving a Bp Premier database from one server machine to another.
System Requirements
Windows operating system and hardware requirements for Bp Premier server and workstations.
Best Practice Software End User License Agreement
The Best Practice Software End User License Agreement is accepted when you install Bp Premier for the first time or run a Program Upgrade. Click to view the agreement text.
New practice checklist
A checklist of tasks and resources to assist practices new to Bp Premier get ready for their Go Live date.
Select the database to install
How to select and install the database during Bp Premier installation, and how to upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server or to a full edition from the Express edition.
Install a Bp Premier client
How to install a Bp Premier client after you have installed the server and database.
Install third-party software
How to install MediSecure, HealthLink, or HealthShare fact sheets after installing the Bp Premier server. Contact details for HealthLink are supplied if you need to install the HealthLink client.
Optimise SQL Server Memory
Optimise the amount of memory (RAM) allocated to SQL Server database, based on the amount available on your server.
Troubleshoot installation
Troubleshoot common problems encountered when connecting to the server after installing Bp Premier for the first time, or to check that the SQL Server database has installed.
Troubleshoot general client connections
If you experience problems connecting a workstation to the server, this article can provide troubleshooting resolutions. It also describes how to update the registry entries for Bp Premier after moving a server, and troubleshoot terminal server connections.
Update or check your Bp Premier licence
Enter a new or updated licence key, and how Bp Premier checks your licence conditions against providers, including Allied Health and part-time providers.
Install Bp Premier silently
Install and upgrade Bp Premier in unattended mode. Your IT service provider can use the silent install option to roll out program and data updates to your practice network.
Uninstall Bp Premier and MSSQL
Completely uninstall Bp Premier and MS SQL from the server and workstations.
Resolving Slowness Issues
Troubleshoot slowness or response issues on your Bp Premier server or workstation.
New practice checklist
A checklist of tasks and resources to assist practices new to Bp Premier get ready for their Go Live date.
Management Setup Checklist
Lists the management functions you need to set up in Bp Premier with links for setup instructions.
Update or check your Bp Premier licence
Enter a new or updated licence key, and how Bp Premier checks your licence conditions against providers, including Allied Health and part-time providers.
Access the samples database
The Bp Premier 'samples' database is installed with Bp Premier and contains a sample dataset for training or familiarity purposes. Changes to the samples database do not affect the live database.
Setting up a single-location practice
How to check Windows date and time settings are set up for scheduling, and entering Practice and Location details after conversion or installation, such as ABNs and LSP numbers.
Provide site information to support
Describes how to provide Bp Premier Support with information about your site, including Site ID, SQL database version, and operating system. Also how to take a screen capture to provide to Support.
Setting up a multiple-location practice
Set up practices for multiple locations, including location names, ABNs, and LSP numbers, location letterheads, how to include location-specific template fields, appointment book layouts for a single location, and the importance of logging in to the correct location.
Use multiple HPI-O numbers and NASH certificates
Practices are now able to add location-specific HPI-O numbers and NASH certificates in Bp Premier.
Setting Up Billing
Set up the billing workflow for your practice, including workflow defaults, statement and invoice text including prefilled service details, bank accounts and WorkCover.
Set up custom fees and schedules
Set up a private practice schedule, add custom items, and set up a discount schedule.
Set up appointment book sessions and holidays
An appointment book session is a period during which a provider is able to take appointments and provide consultations, including 'on the day' or reserved appointment blocks. Sessions can be used as part of a rolling roster. Bp Premier provides a standard set of appointment types, but practices can also create their own types.
Set the default appointment length
Explains how to manage appointment lengths in Bp Premier, including the effects of changing the default slot length on the appointment type and session definition lengths.
Add appointment types and cancel reasons
Appointment book types tell the user what should be booked in that slot, as well as set the default appointment length and icon.
Set up Online Claiming for single Minor ID
How to set up Medicare and DVA online claiming (MAOL) in Saffron SP2 or earlier if your practice only has a single Minor ID registered with Medicare, and how to install the Medicare Module if it was not installed during Bp Premier installation.
Set up Bp Service
Bp Service is a background Windows service for Bp Premier that manages results import, secure communication, and scheduled reminders and backups.
Get started with Bp Comms
Walks users through the end to end process of setting up Bp Comms, including patient consent, enrolling patients for SMS and App, message templates, and sending mail merge and single messages to patients from everywhere in Bp Premier.
Get started with Best Health App
The Best Health App is a direct connection between your practice, and its patients. When your patients install the application on their mobile device, you can send various communications to them from within Bp Premier.
New practice checklist
A checklist of tasks and resources to assist practices new to Bp Premier get ready for their Go Live date.
Set up the Clinical module
Describes the configuration activities required after installing Bp Premier for the first time that allow usage of clinical components like updating the drug database, setting up reminders, secure messaging, contacts, and templates.
Configure Bp Premier for My Health Record
How to set up all necessary components for Bp Premier to use My Health Record online, including: recording HPI numbers, importing security certificates, and setting up user permissions and preferences.
Set up eRx Script Exchange
Describes the system requirements before you can install eRx on the Bp Premier Server, and how to set up eRx in Bp Premier to take advantage of electronic prescriptions.
Set up electronic prescribing
To begin using electronic prescribing (or eScripts) at your practice, you will first need to ensure you have correctly configured Bp Premier.
Set up a messaging provider
How to set up a messaging provider service for secure communication of clinical data and documents between Bp Premier and third parties.
Set up Pathology and Imaging Results Import
How to set up automatic pathology or imaging results import from a laboratory into Bp Premier. This article also describes how results are imported and redirected to the provider Inbox, and how to set up results acknowledgements.
Troubleshoot importing results
Troubleshoot importing results automatically from a pathology or imaging lab.
Bp eOrdering Partners
The Bp Partner Network includes our eOrdering parters from version Saffron Service Pack 1 (SP1) and later. You can configure eOrder labs and send electonic requests directly to the lab.
Set up Imaging eOrdering in Saffron SP1 or later
The new eOrdering form introduced in Saffron SP1 includes all functionality required to set up and configure imaging eOrdering providers in one place.
Set up Pathology eOrdering in Saffron SP1 or later
The new eOrdering form introduced in Saffron SP1 includes all functionality required to set up and configure pathology eOrdering providers in one place.
Set up Bp Service
Bp Service is a background Windows service for Bp Premier that manages results import, secure communication, and scheduled reminders and backups.
Import bulk clinical documents
The Bulk Document Import utility (BDI) imports multiple document files in all popular formats (images, PDF, .doc and .docx, RTF, TXT, and HTML), and imports scanned documents directly from a network scanner or digital camera. Once scanned or imported, you can allocate documents to a provider Inbox, or into the Correspondence in, Correspondence Out, or Clinical images sections of a patient record.
Create a word processor template
A Bp Premier template is like any other word processor template: a 'starter' document that includes formatting, tables, images, a header and body, and the inclusion of data extracted from the system or patient record.
Autofills for Today's Notes and the Word Processor
Use Autofill shortcuts in Today's Notes and word processor documents to shortcut text entry. You can create your own Autofill shortcuts.
Converting a practice management database to Bp Premier
Information for practices and staff wishing to migrate a database from other practice management software, or merge Bp Premier databases. Includes solutions for 7-day clinics.
Cleaning up uncoded and free text data
Some screens allow 'free text' entry, which is usually not searchable and may be clinically ambiguous. Bp Premier offers a free text cleanup tool for Contact and document types, reminders, and free text diagnoses.
Link to a billing package
How to set up a link between Bp Premier and another software package, where the third-party software handles management functionality such as the appointment book and billing. Changes to demographic information are synchronised with Bp Premier.
Convert to Bp Premier from other billing software
If your practice uses third-party software to handle management functionality such as the appointment book and billing, this article describes how to shut down the previous billing software and migrate data and functionality to Bp Premier Management.
Link to Pracsoft
Set up a link between Bp Premier and PracSoft, where PracSoft handles management functionality such as the appointment book and billing. Changes to demographic information are synchronised with Bp Premier.
Link to E-Claims
How to set up a link between Bp Premier and E-claims, where the E-claims handles management functionality such as the appointment book and billing. Changes to demographic information are synchronised with Bp Premier.
Troubleshoot billing linking
Provides some solutions to problems that can be encountered when setting up linking to a third-party billing package.
Transfer patient demographics to PracSoft
How to bulk import patiet demographic data from Bp Premier into PracSoft, if your practice uses PracSoft for management functions such as billing and appointment book.
Export immunisation records to billing software
Describes how to export patient immunisation records from Bp Premier to a third-party software package, and set up a permanent link if immunisation records are regularly exported.
- Medicare Web Services
- Billing and Banking
- Appointment Book
- Users
- Medicare, DVA, and Tyro
- My Health Record
- Prescribing
- Secure messaging and online directories
- Pathology and imaging
- Bp Comms and Best Health App
- Add a new ?
- Document templates and printing
- Reminders and Actions
- Clinical integrations
- Commbank Smart Health
Medicare Web Services and PRODA
Services Australia is upgrading the technology used by Practice management software such as Bp Premier that connect to Services Australia for some digital health services.
Configure Bp Premier for PRODA
Register your instance of Bp Premier as a B2B device with PRODA to enable web services functions.
Connect to Medicare Web Services
This article explains the steps involved in connecting to Medicare Web Services at your practice.
Medicare Web Services and PRODA FAQs
This article presents the questions asked by Bp Premier users during the Bp Premier Medicare Web Services and PRODA BeInTheKnow webinars delivered by Best Practice Software.
Medicare Web Services Workflow Changes
This article explains the workflow changes in Saffron SP2 associated with Medicare Web Services.
Set up Medicare Web Services for Clinical Only Practices
If your practice has a clinical-only Bp Premier licence and you wish to use the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) functionality available in Saffron SP3, you must connect Bp Premier to Medicare Web Services.
Setting Up Billing
Set up the billing workflow for your practice, including workflow defaults, statement and invoice text including prefilled service details, bank accounts and WorkCover.
Set up custom fees and schedules
Set up a private practice schedule, add custom items, and set up a discount schedule.
Set up appointment book sessions and holidays
An appointment book session is a period during which a provider is able to take appointments and provide consultations, including 'on the day' or reserved appointment blocks. Sessions can be used as part of a rolling roster. Bp Premier provides a standard set of appointment types, but practices can also create their own types.
Set the default appointment length
Explains how to manage appointment lengths in Bp Premier, including the effects of changing the default slot length on the appointment type and session definition lengths.
Add a new patient
How to create a new patient record from the appointment book or patient search, including confidentiality, online Medicare and HI verification, family grouping, and marking a patient inactive or deceased.
Configure Visit Types
This article explains how to configure visit types for your practice. The visit type refers to the location that the visit occurred at, or if the visit was not in person, the method it was delivered through, for example, Hospital or Telehealth.
Add appointment types and cancel reasons
Appointment book types tell the user what should be booked in that slot, as well as set the default appointment length and icon.
Create an Appointment Book layout
A layout is a user or user group. When you apply a layout to the appointment book, only bookings for the selected users will be shown or can be made. For example, you might have a layout that includes all providers, or a layout for each provider.
Set up an appointment reminder schedule
Set up a Bp Comms appointment reminder schedule to send out appointment reminders without manual intervention, like an overnight SMS reminder for the next day's appointments.
Add or update a user
Add a new user to Bp Premier, including user permissions, user preferences, and password changes.
User Permissions
A reference for the key user permissions and which practice roles normally require which permissions.
Setting user preferences
Describes all of the preferences that users can set to personalise their Bp Premier experience.
Set up users to run reports
Permission to run reports can be granted down to the level of individual reports. You can also restrict the data pool for reporting by provider and location.
Deactivate a user
If staff leave a practice, for example, you can deactivate a user record to remove the user from your licence count.
Add a Default MBS Item to an Invoice
This article explains the methods you can use to set default MBS items in Bp Premier. Default MBS items can be overriden in the Finalise visit screen.
Set up a provider as an individual contractor
This article describes how to set up your user account in Bp Premier to invoice under your ABN, including selecting an appropriate user role and recording an ABN, and using your individual ABN on invoices, statements, and templates.
Medicare and DVA incentives
Describes the criteria under which Medicare and DVA incentives are automatically applied to patients in Bp Premier. You cannot add incentive items manually.
What can you claim with Tyro?
Key MBS and DVA items that cannot be processed through Medicare Easyclaim.
Set up Online Claiming in Saffron SP3
How to set up Medicare and DVA online claiming (MAOL) if your practice uses Saffron SP3 or later.
Set up Online Claiming for single Minor ID
How to set up Medicare and DVA online claiming (MAOL) in Saffron SP2 or earlier if your practice only has a single Minor ID registered with Medicare, and how to install the Medicare Module if it was not installed during Bp Premier installation.
Set up Online Claiming for multiple Minor IDs
How to set up Medicare and DVA online claiming (MAOL) in Saffron SP2 or earlier if your practice or organisation has more than one Minor ID registered with Medicare, and how to install the Medicare Module if it was not installed during Bp Premier installation.
Troubleshoot online claiming
Troubleshoot setting up Medicare online claiming, including problems with site and PKI certificates, Java, or the Bp Medicare Module.
Configure Tyro
How to install the Tyro Terminal Adapter and sofware, and set up Tyro details and Merchant IDs in Bp Premier. The article also describes the payment and claim options available through Tyro, including Integrated Medicare Easyclaim.
Bp Premier Supported Claiming Channels
DVA and Medicare claiming channels and functions supported by Bp Premier.
Online claiming with proxy server
How to set up Bp Premier to process online claims if your practice uses a proxy server between the Bp Premier server and the internet.
Check NASH and Medicare certificates for expiry
Check expiry dates for Medicare site certificates and NASH certificates.
Export Medicare site certificates
How to install and use Medicare's PKI Certificate Manager to update your Medicare Site Certificates.
Prepare your practice for eHealth
How to prepare your practice for My Health Record, including registering with the HI service, obtaining HPI-O and HPI-I numbers, and the PKI certificate types you need to install.
Configure Bp Premier for My Health Record
How to set up all necessary components for Bp Premier to use My Health Record online, including: recording HPI numbers, importing security certificates, and setting up user permissions and preferences.
Use multiple HPI-O numbers and NASH certificates
Practices are now able to add location-specific HPI-O numbers and NASH certificates in Bp Premier.
Patient Health Identifier validation
In Saffron SP1, if a patient record contains an IHI, and either the patient's IHI, Medicare number or DVA number are changed, then the IHI number must be revalidated.
Troubleshoot My Health Record
Troubleshoot common problems encountered while setting up and accessing My Health Record, including certfiicate import, HI lookup, and problems uploading or viewing MHR documents.
Troubleshoot site and NASH certificate issues
Troubleshoot issues connecting to the Health Identifier (HI) service to use My Health Record.
Assist a patient with My Health Record registration
How to assist a patient with registering for My Health Record, if a patient is unable to register themselves.
Set up electronic prescribing
To begin using electronic prescribing (or eScripts) at your practice, you will first need to ensure you have correctly configured Bp Premier.
Practices with multiple Prescription Exchange Services
Describes the support for electronic prescribing and Real Time Prescription Monitoring in Bp Premier for practices with providers who use both eRx and MediSecure Prescription Exchange Services.
Set up eRx Script Exchange
Describes the system requirements before you can install eRx on the Bp Premier Server, and how to set up eRx in Bp Premier to take advantage of electronic prescriptions.
Enable MediSecure
How to obtain an activation key for MediSecure and enable Medisecure for a Bp Premier provider.
Set up drug sheet layouts
How to define a layout for patient drug sheets (also called medication schedules or medication summaries). Several templates are available for use or customization. Drug sheets layouts are defined for the whole practice, not specific users.
Create a drug combination
How to create a custom combination of drugs with doses, so that the combination can be prescribed as a group.
Set up a FHIR online directory
Set up FHIR online directories as they become available. You may need to be able to look up your practice from the online directory.
Set up a messaging provider
How to set up a messaging provider service for secure communication of clinical data and documents between Bp Premier and third parties.
Install Argus
How to install Argus during or after a Bp Premier installation. You will be prompted to set up Argus the first time an administrator logs into Bp Premier.
HealthLink Online forms
How to set up access to HealthLink SmartForms for the first time or after an upgrade, and how to open and submit Smartforms in the word processor.
Set up pathology and imaging
All the steps required to set up Bp Premier to use a secure messaging provider for sending pathology and imaging requests, including provider preferences and supported formats (PIT, HL7).
Set up pathology and imaging eOrdering in Saffron
If you have not yet upgraded to Saffron SP1, use this method to set up eOrdering.
Set up a messaging provider
How to set up a messaging provider service for secure communication of clinical data and documents between Bp Premier and third parties.
Set up Pathology and Imaging Results Import
How to set up automatic pathology or imaging results import from a laboratory into Bp Premier. This article also describes how results are imported and redirected to the provider Inbox, and how to set up results acknowledgements.
Set up results acknowledgement and notifications
How to set up acknowledgement of submitted pathology requests, if supported by the secure messaging service used.
Add a pathology or imaging provider
Create a Bp Premier Contact with a category of 'Pathology Provider' or 'Imaging Provider'.
Set up Pathology eOrdering in Saffron SP1 or later
The new eOrdering form introduced in Saffron SP1 includes all functionality required to set up and configure pathology eOrdering providers in one place.
Set up Imaging eOrdering in Saffron SP1 or later
The new eOrdering form introduced in Saffron SP1 includes all functionality required to set up and configure imaging eOrdering providers in one place.
Set up pathology request forms
Bp Premier supplies a default pathology request form, but you can create your own pathology form layout if a laboratory uses preprinted stationery for their request forms.
Set up imaging forms
Bp Premier does not supply a default imaging request form. You must create a custom imaging form layout for each laboratory with unique stationery.
Get started with Bp Comms
Walks users through the end to end process of setting up Bp Comms, including patient consent, enrolling patients for SMS and App, message templates, and sending mail merge and single messages to patients from everywhere in Bp Premier.
Frequently asked questions about Bp Comms
FAQs from our users about Bp Comms in general, including patient consent and consent forms, searching for patients who have and have not consent, best practices for message templates, and how to manage 'health awareness' communications and patient opt-out.
Top up Bp Comms Credit
A Bp Comms credit code contains a dollar amount that can be used for sending both Best Health App and SMS messages. Learn how to enter credit and understand how much credit you have remaining.
Get started with Best Health App
The Best Health App is a direct connection between your practice, and its patients. When your patients install the application on their mobile device, you can send various communications to them from within Bp Premier.
Enrol patients for the Best Health App
Find out how to enrol your patients to use the Best Health App.
Set up Bp Comms
Set up Bp Comms for clinical and appointment reminders, mail merges, contact notes, and all other patient-practice communications. Also how to top up your Bp Comms credit.
Set Comms Consent for patients
Indicate patient consent for electronic communications methods from Bp Premier, including the types of communications that a patient would like to receive. You can attach signed consent to a patient demographics.
Understanding Bp Comms Consent
This article explains the different consent types used in Bp Premier, and provides infomation to help you to better understand consent and Bp Comms, including consent for younger patients, upgrading and consent, and searching for consented patients with the database search tool.
Bp Comms templates
Set up message templates for all SMS message types sent from your practice, such as clinical and appointment reminders, results receipt, patient education, and mail merges from a database search.
Set up an appointment reminder schedule
Set up a Bp Comms appointment reminder schedule to send out appointment reminders without manual intervention, like an overnight SMS reminder for the next day's appointments.
Set up Bp Messaging Service
The Best Practice Messaging Service is used to manage Bp Comms communications between Bp Premier and external gateways.
Frequently asked questions about the patient demographic
FAQs from users about the patient demographic screen, including confidentiality, usual doctor, birth sex and gender identity, and how to audit changes to the patient's demographic record.
Add a new patient
How to create a new patient record from the appointment book or patient search, including confidentiality, online Medicare and HI verification, family grouping, and marking a patient inactive or deceased.
Mark patients as inactive or deceased
Mark patients as deceased or inactivate, if a patient has not attended your practice in some time. Run a database search for duplicate or inactive patients and mark the patients in bulk as inactive.
Add or update a user
Add a new user to Bp Premier, including user permissions, user preferences, and password changes.
Set up a Provider
How to set up a new provider in Bp Premier, including permissions, preferences and Appointment Book sessions.
Add AHPRA to invoice templates
From 01 September 2021, the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) requires that health practitioners who deliver services to an injured worker include their AHPRA registration number on all invoices. This article shows how.
Add a pathology or imaging provider
Create a Bp Premier Contact with a category of 'Pathology Provider' or 'Imaging Provider'.
Using Online Directories
Search HealthLink's online directory from the word processor for referrals or health providers. Synchronise directory providers details with your local address book contacts.
HealthShare Referrals Directory
Search HealthShare's online directory for referrals or health providers from the word processor.
Setting up printers and user printing preferences
How to set up page and print parameters for the word processor, including margins, page orientation, default fonts, and how to print on terminal servers.
Create a word processor template
A Bp Premier template is like any other word processor template: a 'starter' document that includes formatting, tables, images, a header and body, and the inclusion of data extracted from the system or patient record.
Create an advanced template
An advanced word processor template allows you to include custom fields. A custom field prompts the document author for information when the template is used to create a new document. This information is often real-time information that cannot be extracted from a patient record.
Add AHPRA to invoice templates
From 01 September 2021, the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) requires that health practitioners who deliver services to an injured worker include their AHPRA registration number on all invoices. This article shows how.
Setting up a multiple-location practice
Set up practices for multiple locations, including location names, ABNs, and LSP numbers, location letterheads, how to include location-specific template fields, appointment book layouts for a single location, and the importance of logging in to the correct location.
Available HealthLink Forms
Lists the forms available through Bp Premier's integration with HealthLink smart forms, by state.
Importing a document template
How to import a document template into Bp Premier. Only some document types can be imported.
Working with letterheads
How to apply the practice letterhead to general templates, and create a custom letterhead that can be used by specific providers.
Set up printed label layouts
Labels can be printed from many functions, like a mail merge. You first need to define a label layout. You can also print to a label printer from Bp Premier.
Bp Comms templates
Set up message templates for all SMS message types sent from your practice, such as clinical and appointment reminders, results receipt, patient education, and mail merges from a database search.
Set up reminder reasons and defaults
How to set defaults for the Bp Premier Reminders workflow, including defining Reminder Reasons, cleaning up free text entries, and how reminders are sent out by default.
Create a reminder letter template
How to create a template for Reminder letters. You can create a generic template used for all reminders, or create specific templates that are different for each reminder type. Your staff should know when to use which reminder template.
Create and manage actions
Bp Premier Actions capture an activity that needs to be carried out by practice staff, such as a future vaccination, checking results, or a health assessment. You can view outstanding actions for a single patient or the entire practice.
Using the To Do List
The To Do list is a tool for practice staff to set reminders for themselves. To Do items can be linked to patients. A user's To Do list is displayed whenever he or she logs in to Bp Premier.
Set a daily message
The daily message is a practice-wide communication displayed on the Appointment Book on all workstations, for all users.
Send internal messages
Bp Premier offers an internal messaging service for practice communication between users and user groups. When a user logs in, new messages are listed in a popup.
Connect a medical device
How to integrate a medical device, such as a blood pressure reader or spirometry machine, with Bp Premier so that the device can be accessed from the patient record. The article also describes how to configure Windows to open ECG files in a native viewer.
HealthLink Online forms
How to set up access to HealthLink SmartForms for the first time or after an upgrade, and how to open and submit Smartforms in the word processor.
Bp Premier Reporting Tool
The Bp Premier nKPI Reporting Utility records and submits national Key Performance Indicator data collected on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander patients to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Data from participating practices forms part of the annual report on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander primary health care.
PEN CAT
PEN CS Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) is a tool for extracting general practice clinical and billing data. You can install and configure the CAT to analyse Bp Premier data.
MEDrefer
How to activate MedRefer for Bp Premier and send and track referrals through the MedRefer service. You can also change the polling frequency.
Set up NCSR Integration
The National Cancer Screening Register enables a single electronic record for each person in Australia participating in cervical and bowel screening.
PIP QI Reporting
The Bp Premier Reporting tool extracts data for use in the Practice Incentives Program - Quality Improvement (PIP QI).
MedReleaf Only 6 Monthly TGA Reporting
The 6 Monthly TGA Report supports MedReleaf prescribing clinic doctors who are authorised prescribers for unregistered medical cannabis products.
TGA Medicinal Cannabis Category Reporting
The TGA Medicinal Cannabis Category Report supports Medicinal Cannabis prescribing clinic doctors who are authorised prescribers for unregistered medical cannabis products.
Accessing Healthshare fact sheets
How to search, suggest, and email Healthshare Fact Sheets from the patient record.
medEbridge
How to set up, request, and process UHG insurance reports through medEbridge, including changing the polling frequency and troubleshooting using the Windows Event Viewer.
MediTracker
How to install Precedence Health Care's MediTracker connector to share Bp Premier patient data with the MediTracker app. The article also includes FAQs on what is shared between Bp Premier and MediTracker.
NPS Radar
How to enable NPS Radar alerts when prescribing, and view NPS RADAR documents and patient information leaflets from the patient record.
BPAC Clinical Solutions
Open the BPAC decision support tool using the SeNT service from the patient record.
Strata Health single signon
Bp Premier has integrated with Strata Health Solutions' PRISM system for managing and matching clinical resources to patient needs. GPs can access PRISM from a browser within the Bp Premier software using their Bp Premier credentials, without the need to log in again. Some initial configuration is required.
Pryzm Data Extraction Tool
The Pryzm Data Extraction functionality in the Bp Premier Reporting Tool extracts information on possible inherited and rare diseases from clinical data and correspondence for practices working with Pryzm Health.
Configure CommBank Smart Health
How to configure Bp Premier to work with CommBank Smart Health functionality.
- COVID-19 and Bp Premier
- Prescribing and Medication
- Today's notes
- Pathology and Imaging
- My Health Record
- Clinical Reminders
- eReferrals
- Clinical tools
- Enhanced Primary Care
- Immunisations
- Diabetes
Changes in vaccination reporting FAQ
FAQs from Bp Premier users during the recent COVID-19 Vaccinations and Bp Premier Webinars run during the week beginning March 22 2021.
Updates for managing COVID-19
Provides links to MBS and RACGP resources on COVID-19 or Coronavirus, some guidance on integrated and non-integrated telehealth and telephone consults, and advice on managing groups of COVID-19 patients.
COVID-19 Vaccinations with an AIR Provider Number
GP Respiratory Clinics and selected Indigenous Medical Centres (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation clinics) have been provided with a specific AIR provider number for the entire practice for Covid-19 Vaccinations.
COVID-19 vaccinations and Bp Premier
This article provides information and resources for clinics administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Booking COVID-19 Vaccinations
Guidance and suggestions on workflows for booking COVID-19 vaccination patients.
Group patients in the appointment book by user
If your practice is required to manage a significant number of patients related to COVID-19, you may wish to differentiate these patients in the appointment book as a group so they can be managed separately to your regular patients.
Group patients in the appointment book by location
Explains the method of grouping bulk appointments in the appointment book under a virtual location, which could be used to group COVID-19 or any vaccinations to keep the appointment book organised.
COVID-19 Database Queries
You can use the COVID-19 At risk patients query to search for patients who are eligible for or have had one or both doses, as well as manage bookings.
COVID-19 clinical reminders
If you have performed consults with patients requiring COVID-19 tests, you can send them reminders to ensure they have organised to be tested.
Create an AutoFill clinical screening assessment
Save time during consults by creating an AutoFill clinical screening assessment in the patient record, for patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms.
COVID-19 letter and Bp Comms templates
The COVID-19 non-medical clearance template can be used when patients request a letter clearing them of COVID-19. You can also modify exiting templates or create new ones to assist with treating COVID-19.
COVID-19 Reasons for Visit and Diagnoses
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, new diagnoses and reasons for visit have been made availabel in Bp Premier.
Telehealth and telephone appointments
Use telehealth appointments to perform consultations remotely. Using telehealth consults minimises the possibility of at-risk patient contracting COVID-19, and ensures patients who suspect they may have contracted COVID-19 can continue to self-isolate while receiving medical advice.
Add COVID-19 pathology to Favourites
Set up COVID-19 tests as favourites in the pathology request screen to quickly access them when requesting pathology.
COVID-19 patient education materials
Provide your patients with correct, up-to-date educational materials related to COVID-19. You can also import materials from resources like RACGP or Best Practice Software to distribute to patients, related to telehealth, for example.
COVID-19 bulk billing incentives for at risk patients
As of 20 April 2020, two new bulk billing incentive items have been added for COVID-19 at-risk patients. This article explains when and how to apply them.
Add or cease Rx
How to add a prescription to a patient's record, cease current prescriptions, look up a script, get approval for authority prescriptions, and how the p.r.n. or PRN setting applies to medication lists.
Understanding Active Ingredient Prescribing
The introduction of Active Ingredient Prescribing means that prescriptions written for PBS and RPBS medication will have the medication's active ingredients listed on them by default, rather than a brand name.
How Active Ingredient Prescribing Works in Bp Premier
This article explains the changes that have been made to the prescribing workflow due to the introduction of Active Ingredient Prescribing.
Frequently asked questions about Active Ingredient Prescribing
Frequently asked questions about what Active Ingredient Prescribing is, and how it will impact you, your practice and your patients.
Electronic prescribing
How to send an electronic prescription from the patient record using Bp Premier.
Frequently Asked Questions from our Electronic Prescribing Masterclasses
This article presents the questions asked by Bp Premier users from all Australian states and territories during the Electronic Prescribing Masterclass webinars delivered by Best Practice Software starting 26 May 2020.
Allergies and reactions
How to record a patient's allergies and adverse drug reactions. Bp Premier will check allergies and reactions when medications are prescribed.
Past Rx and Ceased Rx
How to view a patient's past and ceased prescriptions from the patient record, and how to represcribe, reprint, and open the visit for a past prescription.
Print stored Rx
Prescriptions can be stored instead of printed immediately. This article describes how to search for and print stored prescriptions for a patient or the whole practice.
Prescribe on behalf of
A user can issue prescriptions on behalf of a provider who has a prescriber number.
Real Time Prescription Monitoring
Real Time Prescription Monitoring is a clinical tool available to practices that can inform prescribers of high-risk medicines and help prevent patient misuse.
Print Drug Sheets
Print a patient's drug sheets to layouts including generic, Compact Business Systems, PSH, or NIMC (GP e-version).
Print a National In-patient Medication Chart
You can print medication charts from Bp Premier in the NIMC (or GP e-version) format.
Updates for managing COVID-19
Provides links to MBS and RACGP resources on COVID-19 or Coronavirus, some guidance on integrated and non-integrated telehealth and telephone consults, and advice on managing groups of COVID-19 patients.
Recording Today's Notes
How to record and manage consultation notes for a patient, including keyboard and autocomplete shortcuts for common terms, and how to record past history items.
Frequently asked questions about the patient record
FAQs about recording notes in the patient record, including confidentiality, and editing and backdating past visits.
Preview notes, start, and finalise a visit
Describes the Appointment Book components that are normally used by providers, after the patient has been arrived by reception. This generally involves starting and finalising the consultation from the patient record.
Social and family history
From the patient record, you can record a patient's family, social, occupational, alcohol, and tobacco or smoking history.
Understanding confidentiality and patient notes
How to set confidential access to a patient's record, and how to set the emergency access password for a practice.
Delete or amend past visit notes
Delete past visits if notes were recorded for the wrong patient. Amend patient notes on the same day, or append notes after 24 hours.
Print graphs from observations
Bp Premier can create graphs from observation values or atomised values from investigation reports.
Obstetric and antenatal visits
How to record a pregnancy and prior obstetric details for a patient and monitor the antenatal cycle. You can also view all current pregnant patients from the main menu.
Import, scan, or move documents into a patient record
How to scan documents in to a patient record, and move documents between sections in the patient record.
Bp Comms in the patient record
Send SMS messages from the patient record, or review and create contact notes for Correspondence, Investigations, Images, and Primary Care.
Medical Certificates
How to generate a medical certificate for a patient in the patient record, and how to edit the default medical certificate template.
Request pathology
Submit a pathology request from the patient record, including setting up favourite test lists and custom test reasons.
Request imaging
Walks users through the different options when requesting imaging tests, including free text tests and body regions.
Submit a pathology or imaging eOrder
Bp Premier supports eOrdering for pathology and imaging investigations from laboratories that accept eOrders.
Troubleshoot eOrdering
Troubleshoot eorder submission failure, including checking the Bp Messaging Service for machine name validity.
Cervical Screening
Cervical screening investigations are requested like any pathology request, but added to the Cervical Screening section of the patient record. Practice staff can also view and add cervical screening history outside of the patient record.
Redirect incoming reports to another provider
Incoming reports can be redirected from one provider to another if required. An example of when this functionality could be useful would be if a provider were to go on leave, and someone else was responsible for their incoming reports in their absence.
Managing Pathology and Imaging Results
The pathology and imaging results management process, from auto-allocation, actioning results in the Provider Inbox, and following up results from the Follow Up Inbox, and how to audit the patient contact trail.
Clear outstanding requests
As part of managing incoming results, you can manually mark requests as 'received' for a single patient or the entire practice. This clears a request from any outstanding lists.
Troubleshoot importing results
Troubleshoot importing results automatically from a pathology or imaging lab.
View immunisations in My Health Record
This article explains how immunisation information can be accessed via the Immunisation Consolidated View in My Health Record.
Validate Health Identifiers
How to look up the Health Identifier service and validate HI numbers for a single patient or multiple patients.
Create a Shared Health Summary
How to create a Shared Health Summary from a patient record and upload to My Health Record. A Health Summary includes current medications, adverse drug reactions, past medical history, and immunisations.
Create an Event Summary
How to create an Event Summary from a patient record and upload to My Health Record, including how to modify and delete an uploaded document.
Manage My Health Record documents
Manage documents shared between My Health Record and the patient record in Bp Premier from the My Health Record home screen. Save uploaded documents to the patient record.
Prescription and Dispense View
How to use My Health Record's Prescription and Dispense View to manage a patient's current and past Rx, and prescribe and represcribe medication. The Prescription and Dispense View relies on the National Prescribing and Dispense Repository (NPDR).
Pathology and imaging report views
Use My Health Record's Pathology and Imaging Report Views to view pathology investigation results and diagnostic images uploaded to a patient's My Health Record by laboratories and other providers.
Patient Health Identifier validation
In Saffron SP1, if a patient record contains an IHI, and either the patient's IHI, Medicare number or DVA number are changed, then the IHI number must be revalidated.
Health Identifier lookup history
View the lookup history, audit trail, and transaction error history for a patient's Health Identifier.
Add a Clinical Reminder to a patient
Add a clinical reminder to a patient, or edit the appointment associated with a clinical reminder.
Print a reminders list
You can print a clinical reminders list, or reprint a reminder run. You can also set the columns shown on the printed reminders list.
Follow up sent reminders
Follow up clinically significant reminders sent through Bp Comms messaging.
Send and follow up eReferrals
How to create and send CDA and RTF electronic referrals, or eReferrals, in Bp Premier, and how to check the status of eReferrals once sent.
Import bulk clinical documents
The Bulk Document Import utility (BDI) imports multiple document files in all popular formats (images, PDF, .doc and .docx, RTF, TXT, and HTML), and imports scanned documents directly from a network scanner or digital camera. Once scanned or imported, you can allocate documents to a provider Inbox, or into the Correspondence in, Correspondence Out, or Clinical images sections of a patient record.
Available HealthLink Forms
Lists the forms available through Bp Premier's integration with HealthLink smart forms, by state.
Using the NCSR Hub
You can interact directly with the National Cancer Screening Register from Bp Premier using the NCSR Hub.
Enabling preventative health notifications
Bp Premier will display preventative health reminders in a patient's record based on demographic and clinical history. You can turn specific notifications on and off for a patient.
Available clinical functions
Clinical tools available include: BMI calculator, Blood pressure, cardiovascular, and diabetes risk assessments, INR manager, K10, travel medication schedule, Mini Mental State and geriatric depression assessments, Edinburgh PND, and AUDIT-C alcohol risk assessment.
Run TARB-Ex screening tool
How to run and export patients from the TARB-Ex screening tool for Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH).
Diabetes register
The Bp Premier Diabetes register shows information on all patients with a diagnosis of Diabetes recorded.
Patient Education material
The Patient Education Materials viewer allows you to print take-home information for patients, from multiple research sources including MIMS, NPS, Beyond Blue, Dementia Australia, and John Murtagh.
Enhanced Primary Care BeInTheKnow FAQs
This article provides a list of questions asked by Bp Premier users during the recent enhanced primary care BeInTheKnow information class, with answers.
Create an asthma action plan for a patient
Bp Premier includes action plans for the management of chronic asthma.
Diabetes Cycle of Care
The Diabetes Cycle of Care tool provides a scheduled plan for providers and patients to manage diabetes.
Create care plans
Care plans allow GPs to record related information and set goals and tasks in consultation with the patient to manage chronic diseases. All elements of a care plan, including goals, tasks, contacts, and layout can be customised.
Create an EPC Care Plan template
A Care Plan Template is a care plan preloaded with problems, goals, tasks, and provider contacts that you can assign to a patient and modify. Templates can be imported and exported.
Dementia assessment tool
Bp Premier offers a dementia assessment tool available for patients over 70 years of age. The tool was developed with the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre of UNSW.
Health assessment tool
Bp Premier's health assessment tool is a broad health data collection and analysis tool for evaluating patient health. The tool is available to patients based on demographic data including age and ethnicity.
Conduct a medication review
The medication review tool identifies potential problems with a patient's medications and set actions to manage dosages, administration, and ongoing health. The tool is available based on a patient's current and recent Rx.
Asthma management templates
Best Practice Software has partnered with Asthma Australia to provide two asthma templates in Bp Premier.
ADF Post Discharge GP Health Assessment
The ADF Post Discharge GP Health Assessment is available to all former ADF members, including former serving members of permanent and reserve forces.
View Australian Immunisation Register information
How to access and update patient information on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) via Bp Premier in Saffron SP3 or later.
Record immunisation batch numbers
Bp Premier can record registered batch numbers for vaccination programs for selection when administering a vaccine. You can set a default batch number for the influenza vaccination used by your practice.
Record immunisations
Immunisations and vaccinations for patients are recorded from the patient record, such as HPV, Influenza, Hep B, and the Australian childhood vaccination schedule.
Send immunisation records to AIR
All immunisation data records for whole of life must be submitted electronically or in paper format to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). This article describes how to do both, and review submitted records.
Diabetes register
The Bp Premier Diabetes register shows information on all patients with a diagnosis of Diabetes recorded.
Diabetes Cycle of Care
The Diabetes Cycle of Care tool provides a scheduled plan for providers and patients to manage diabetes.
- Best Health App
- Patient consent
- Contact notes
- Send Bp Comms to patients
- Use the word processor
Get started with Best Health App
The Best Health App is a direct connection between your practice, and its patients. When your patients install the application on their mobile device, you can send various communications to them from within Bp Premier.
Enrol patients for the Best Health App
Find out how to enrol your patients to use the Best Health App.
Send health information to a patient's app
Send a health summary, MIMS consumer information, or patient education leaflets to a patient's Best Health App.
Send clinical comunications
Send communications on clinical issues that aren't a regular checkup, such as following up pathology and imaging results.
Understanding Bp Comms Consent
This article explains the different consent types used in Bp Premier, and provides infomation to help you to better understand consent and Bp Comms, including consent for younger patients, upgrading and consent, and searching for consented patients with the database search tool.
Set Comms Consent for patients
Indicate patient consent for electronic communications methods from Bp Premier, including the types of communications that a patient would like to receive. You can attach signed consent to a patient demographics.
Enrol a phone number for BP Comms FAQ
FAQs on enrolling a phone number for Bp Comms, including third-party software access to a patient's phone number, and sharing a phone number.
Understanding contact notes
Contact notes record instances where a practice has contacted or attempted to contact a patient. For example, contact notes can record an audit trail of attempts to contact a patient after investigation results have been reviewed from the Followup Inbox.
Add and review contact notes
Add a contact note, review notes and sent messages, check for messages that weren't successful, and resend failed messages.
Get started with Bp Comms
Walks users through the end to end process of setting up Bp Comms, including patient consent, enrolling patients for SMS and App, message templates, and sending mail merge and single messages to patients from everywhere in Bp Premier.
Send clinical comunications
Send communications on clinical issues that aren't a regular checkup, such as following up pathology and imaging results.
Keyboard shortcuts
Lists the keyboard shortcuts available from the main screen, appointment book, waiting room, and patient record.
Autofills for Today's Notes and the Word Processor
Use Autofill shortcuts in Today's Notes and word processor documents to shortcut text entry. You can create your own Autofill shortcuts.
Creating a document from a template
How to create a document from a template. You can also create a list of Favorite templates, and create an Action to complete a draft document.
System word processor templates
Customise the system word processor templates to suit your practice.
Diabetes Information Prescription templates
Best Practice Software has partnered with Diabetes Australia to supply Information Prescription templates for patients at risk of or who have diabetes.
Custom Materials Development
Best Practice Software Development Services team can create custom reports, database queries, and word processor templates for you at a structured fee cost.
Using Online Directories
Search HealthLink's online directory from the word processor for referrals or health providers. Synchronise directory providers details with your local address book contacts.
HealthShare Referrals Directory
Search HealthShare's online directory for referrals or health providers from the word processor.
Using the Document Viewer
The Document Viewer is used for viewing PDF, Microsoft Word, Images and other files within Bp Premier.
Run a mail merge
You can run a mail merge from several functions within Bp Premier, including a database search, reminders, diabetes register, and the inbox followup. Copies of the mail merge letter can be automatically added to a patient record.
Setting up Bp Premier to use email
How to send and receive emails from Bp Premier. You can use a single email address for the practice, email addresses for single users, or both.
Send emails from Bp Premier
How to send an email from the word processor, user address, or practice email address.
Encrypt e-mail messages from Bp Premier
If your practice sends emails from Bp Premier, you can set up PKI certificates for users and contacts for secure emailing.
- Medicare Web Services
- COVID-19 and Bp Premier
- Reporting
- Booking appointments
- Invoice and pay on the day
- Invoice and pay later
- Correct an account or payment
- Claim with Medicare and DVA
- Banking reconciliation
- WorkCover
Medicare Web Services and PRODA
Services Australia is upgrading the technology used by Practice management software such as Bp Premier that connect to Services Australia for some digital health services.
Configure Bp Premier for PRODA
Register your instance of Bp Premier as a B2B device with PRODA to enable web services functions.
Connect to Medicare Web Services
This article explains the steps involved in connecting to Medicare Web Services at your practice.
Medicare Web Services and PRODA FAQs
This article presents the questions asked by Bp Premier users during the Bp Premier Medicare Web Services and PRODA BeInTheKnow webinars delivered by Best Practice Software.
Medicare Web Services Workflow Changes
This article explains the workflow changes in Saffron SP2 associated with Medicare Web Services.
COVID-19 vaccinations and Bp Premier
This article provides information and resources for clinics administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Booking COVID-19 Vaccinations
Guidance and suggestions on workflows for booking COVID-19 vaccination patients.
Group patients in the appointment book by user
If your practice is required to manage a significant number of patients related to COVID-19, you may wish to differentiate these patients in the appointment book as a group so they can be managed separately to your regular patients.
COVID-19 letter and Bp Comms templates
The COVID-19 non-medical clearance template can be used when patients request a letter clearing them of COVID-19. You can also modify exiting templates or create new ones to assist with treating COVID-19.
COVID-19 Reasons for Visit and Diagnoses
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, new diagnoses and reasons for visit have been made availabel in Bp Premier.
COVID-19 Database Queries
You can use the COVID-19 At risk patients query to search for patients who are eligible for or have had one or both doses, as well as manage bookings.
Telehealth and telephone appointments
Use telehealth appointments to perform consultations remotely. Using telehealth consults minimises the possibility of at-risk patient contracting COVID-19, and ensures patients who suspect they may have contracted COVID-19 can continue to self-isolate while receiving medical advice.
Create an AutoFill clinical screening assessment
Save time during consults by creating an AutoFill clinical screening assessment in the patient record, for patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms.
Add COVID-19 pathology to Favourites
Set up COVID-19 tests as favourites in the pathology request screen to quickly access them when requesting pathology.
COVID-19 patient education materials
Provide your patients with correct, up-to-date educational materials related to COVID-19. You can also import materials from resources like RACGP or Best Practice Software to distribute to patients, related to telehealth, for example.
COVID-19 clinical reminders
If you have performed consults with patients requiring COVID-19 tests, you can send them reminders to ensure they have organised to be tested.
COVID-19 bulk billing incentives for at risk patients
As of 20 April 2020, two new bulk billing incentive items have been added for COVID-19 at-risk patients. This article explains when and how to apply them.
Switching to new reports FAQ
Frequently asked questions from Bp Premier users regarding the switch to new management reports from older pre-Lava financial and disbursement reports, including a link to the webinar.
Switching from old to new reports
Bp Premier management functionality changed significantly for the Lava release. This article describes the new management reports available, and which pre-Lava reports they most closely match.
Set up users to run reports
Permission to run reports can be granted down to the level of individual reports. You can also restrict the data pool for reporting by provider and location.
Get started with reporting
Understand which reports to run, what the report parameters mean, and how to use reports to pay providers.
Management Report Reference
Provides a description of key reports used by a practice, such as Services and Payment reports used for provider disbursement.
Custom Materials Development
Best Practice Software Development Services team can create custom reports, database queries, and word processor templates for you at a structured fee cost.
Services
Service reports can be used for provider disbursement if you pay your providers based on services performed.
Payments
Reports for payments made to a practice, broken down by account type, payment method, and service date. All reports include service details.
Transactions
Transactions reports list both service and payment information. They can be used for provider disbursement if you pay your providers both by services performed and payments received.
Banking
Reports for banking batches created, daily takings, held accounts, and reversed payments and bounced cheques.
Deposits and Payment Reversal reports
Reports showing deposits used to pay off invoices, and reversed payments, within the date range.
Audit reports
Reports for cancelled and written off services, and reversed payments and bounced cheques.
Administrative
Administrative reports for vewing custom practice fees, appointment reminder status, and provider days away from practice.
Updates for managing COVID-19
Provides links to MBS and RACGP resources on COVID-19 or Coronavirus, some guidance on integrated and non-integrated telehealth and telephone consults, and advice on managing groups of COVID-19 patients.
What do the appointment statuses mean?
Appointment book statues, especially With Doctor, At Billing, Paid, and Invoiced, help your staff tell where in the appointment book workflow an appointment is up to, and which appointments need payment and closing off.
Book or update an appointment
Book an appointment for a new or existing patient, edit a current appointment, or view a patient's appointment history.
Recall appointments
Recall appointments can be made for patients who have received clinically significant results or otherwise need to be recalled to the practice outside of a reminder cycle. Recalls can only be cancelled by certain user types.
After hours telehealth consults
Sometimes telehealth or other consults are recorded after the day. This article shows you how to invoice and pay backdated consults.
Find, move, or cancel an appointment
Search for past or future appointments, move or cancel an appointment, and view an audit trail of users who have updated an appointment.
Rebook a patient from the cancellation list
The Cancellation List contains patients with or without an existing appointment who would either like their appointment moved forward, or who wish to have an appointment created for them in the event of a cancellation.
Update a doctor's availability
Update the appointment book for a user or users to block out one or more slots as unavailable.
Arrive a patient
Check a patient's Medicare details when they arrive and indicate in the appointment book that the patient is ready to see the provider.
Resolve uncompleted appointments
Look up and resolve unfinished appointments so they are not lost in the appointment book history.
Print or export an appointment list
Print an appointment list or day sheet, or export an appointment list to file.
Paying accounts across multiple locations
Practice staff who take payments must ensure they select the correct location from the Login screen when they log in to start their Bp Premier session.
Create an account from an appointment
Create an account for a patient if the patient has seen the doctor and is paying their account after the consultation.
Find an invoice or cheque
How to search for invoices by invoice or voucher number, and search for cheques by cheque number. You can also record a cheque as bounced.
View debtors
The Debtor list shows all outstanding accounts for patients and third parties. It does not include accounts billed to Medicare or DVA. You can print outstanding statements per payee or per provider.
Create a simple account
A simple account covers one or more services provided on the same day. You can apply restriction codes or Medicare override codes to account items.
Create a complex account
A complex account covers one or more services provided over different dates. Complex accounts may need to be created to 'bundle' services into one account, for example, to be paid by an organisation such as an employer, insurer, or head of family. You can apply restriction codes or Medicare override codes to account items.
Invoice referrals
If the Provider and the MBS item you are using requires a referral, the Referral details field will appear in the account details screen.
Restriction codes
Adding a restriction code in the Account Item window provides additional information that will prevent a claim containing multiple similar items from being rejected by Medicare
Process a payment
How to process payments for regular accounts and bulk payments for complex invoices. Bulk payments are useful for processing non-standard invoices such as those from hospitals for insurance companies.
Process a bulk payment
Process payments for account holders with many invoices that need settling, like an insurer or hospital. The Bulk Payment screen is easier to make adjustments to services from.
Pay with or refund a deposit
Deposits allow your practice to take money in advance as payment for future services, or as holding fee for equipment hire, for example. You can record and adjust a deposit (until the deposit is banked), and allocate a deposit to pay or part-pay and invoice.
Using the Patient Billing History
Describes the functionality available from the Patient Billing History, which is the main screen used to create new acounts, and review and correct paid accounts.
Held Accounts
A held account is a record that a patient needs to be billed, but you are not yet sure what services should be included on the invoice. For example, a patient has a biopsy performed on their arm which is sent away to pathology. Use a held account to keep a bookmark of the account and add the services when the pathology results are received.
Add kilometres travelled to DVA accounts
This article explains how to add the distance travelled for a consult to a DVA account.
Correct an account or payment
You can adjust or cancel an unpaid account. If an account has been paid or banked, you can only make simple adjustments, or you must reverse the payment and adjust the original account.
Correct an account in error
How to correct a number of common account creation errors, including an incorrect account owner, wrong payment type, and adding an account to the wrong banking batch.
Correct a banked payment
How to correct errors on paid accounts after payments have been reconciled and banked, including payments to the wrong invoice, payments to the wrong patient, and incorrect payment amounts.
View the Tyro transaction history
How to view the transaction history for a Tyro terminal from Bp Premier.
Adjust a service direct billed through Tyro
Adjust a service that has been direct billed and processed through a Tyro terminal.
Medicare card reader shortcuts
How to use your practice's Medicare card reader device as a shortcut to load patient details in the patient record, appointment book, and waiting room.
Troubleshoot Medicare return codes
Troubleshoot error or return codes you may receive back from Medicare after submitting Medicare claims. A list of the most common error codes and their resolutions is provided.
Online Claiming: Direct Bill
End to end walkthrough for direct bill batches, including batching, check for payments, service correction and claim resubmission, and troubleshooting.
Online Claiming: Patient Claims
End to end walkthrough for online patient claiming, including billing, service correction and claim resubmission, and troubleshooting.
Online Claiming: EasyClaim and Tyro
End to end walkthrough for Tyro EasyClaims, including billing, check for payments, service correction and claim resubmission, and troubleshooting.
Processing Gap Payments
Gap payments can be used in situations where there is a gap in cost between an item's practice fee and the Medicare rebate.
Refund a Medicare payment
Refund a batched paid service in entirety to Medicare, or create a partial refund.
Medicare Refunds Frequently Asked Questions
Some questions and answers on Bp Premier's Medicare Refunds function in Saffron, including how the refund is handled in billing history, banking, and disbursement reports.
Correct Medicare Online claim
How to correct and resubmit rejected Medicare claims for Medicare Online claims.
Manual Direct Bill Claims
Bp Premier offers a 'legacy' option to manually create batches of claims for mailing to Medicare, and reconcile processed batches.
Create a Banking Batch
How to create a banking batch for reconciliation, including creating a Banking Details report that can be used when making bank deposits for the practice.
Banking
Reports for banking batches created, daily takings, held accounts, and reversed payments and bounced cheques.
Create an account for worker's compensation
How to create an account for single-organisation compensation (such as WorkCover) or schemes that involve multiple organisations including employers and insurers.
WorkCover QLD electronic invoicing
WorkCover Queensland (WorkCover) provides insurance cover to support workers who have been injured at work. Registered health providers submit invoices for payment by WorkCover for products and services provided to the injured workers.
- Troubleshooting
- Back up and restore data
- Remote database
- Query data
- Database Integration
- Merge data
- Import and export data
- Maintain data
Troubleshoot general client connections
If you experience problems connecting a workstation to the server, this article can provide troubleshooting resolutions. It also describes how to update the registry entries for Bp Premier after moving a server, and troubleshoot terminal server connections.
Resolving Slowness Issues
Troubleshoot slowness or response issues on your Bp Premier server or workstation.
Find a missing patient record
Options you may wish to try if you are unable to find a patient record in Bp Premier.
Managing general errors and exits to desktop
If you have experienced a serious error using Bp Premier and need to call Support to assist resolution, this article describes how you can reduce resolution time by preparing some information beforehand.
Bp Premier memory management
How to reduce the chance of memory utilisation issues when opening documents in Bp Premier.
Back up and restore Bp Premier
How to run a manual backup and restore of the Bp Premier database, and schedule regular backups.
Back up and restore the drug database
Back up the drug database automatically after a monthly drug update, or manually back up and restore the drug database for remote workstations.
Troubleshoot backups
How to troubleshoot some common issues encountered when backing up Bp Premier, including the location of the backup log files and if you should use compressed or uncompressed backups.
Change Document Database Rollover Size
Saffron SP1 allows sites to configure the size of their document database to roll over at 1.8GB (the value all previous databases have rolled over at) or 9.5GB (in keeping with SQL Server Express’ current database size limit of 10GB).
Download the Bp Premier database for remote use
How to download and synchronise a subset of patient records for use in a workstation disconnected from the Bp Premier server, for example, a consultation in a remote location, home visit or working from home.
Troubleshoot remote databases
How to troubleshoot common issues encountered when downloading and synchronising a remote database.
Searching the database
Bp Premier offers a tool for searching the database for patient records based on demographic and clinical filters you define. Searches can be used to run a mail merge, for example, or export a list of patients.
Supplied Database Queries
This article lists the supplied database queries that are available to use with Bp Premier, with instructions on how to use them.
Custom Materials Development
Best Practice Software Development Services team can create custom reports, database queries, and word processor templates for you at a structured fee cost.
Export query results to file
Export query results to a spreadsheet application to extract patient phone number and email lists.
Access the database through the viewer account
The BPS 'viewer' account allows read-only access to the Bp Premier database. Administrators and third-party applications can use this account to view and access a subset of database data. You can also export table data to XML or text file.
Search for immunisations
This example shows how to search for patients who received a vaccination during a set time period, or have not received a vaccination by a specific age or for a length of time.
Search for patients with diabetes
This example shows how to search for patients with 'diabetes' in their current or past history, and how to search for patients by past medication.
Partner Network
The Bp Partner Network is a program that formalises the relationship with practices and technology vendors that develop integrated solutions with Bp's suite of software products.
Bp eOrdering Partners
The Bp Partner Network includes our eOrdering parters from version Saffron Service Pack 1 (SP1) and later. You can configure eOrder labs and send electonic requests directly to the lab.
Clinical integrations
Third-party software that integrates with Bp Premier. For example, telehealth apppointments, secure messaging, referral lookups, clinical audit tools, smart forms.
Connecting to the database by ODBC from Microsoft Excel
How to query the Bp Premier database using an ODBC connection. For Bp Premier integrators and administrators.
Approving third-party integration
When upgrading Bp Premier, or any time from Configuration > Database, you must approve all third-party integrations before an integration will be peritted to read from or write to the database.
Merge patient records
How to merge duplicate patient records. Merging is not easily reversed and should be carried out only by administrators or with the guidance of Bp Premier Support. Merging is affected by linking to a billing package.
Merge user records
The Merge User tool can merge Bp Premier user records. For example, you may have created multiple provider records to represent providers at different practice locations. You can only reverse a user merge by restoring the database.
Frequently asked questions on importing and exporting records
Frequently asked questions on importing and exporting patient records, and the Subpoena Tool, including exporting confidential information and which data can be imported.
Import bulk clinical documents
The Bulk Document Import utility (BDI) imports multiple document files in all popular formats (images, PDF, .doc and .docx, RTF, TXT, and HTML), and imports scanned documents directly from a network scanner or digital camera. Once scanned or imported, you can allocate documents to a provider Inbox, or into the Correspondence in, Correspondence Out, or Clinical images sections of a patient record.
Subpoena Tool
The Subpoena tool allows your practice to export a patient record, or sections of a patient record, to print or file for legal purposes. Access to the tool is protected by user permission and the emergency access password.
Import patient records
Import single or bulk patient records that have been exported as XML files from a previous Bp Premier server. Make sure the patient does not already exist in the new database.
Export patient records
How to export patient demographic and clinical data for one or more patient records, or the entire database.
Import and export contacts
You can import and export contact records between Bp Premier servers. Contacts imported from an older version will contain blank entries in any new fields.
Export management data
How to export management data from Bp Premier to CSV file, including Services, Invoices, Payments, Paid Services, and Appointments.
Change Document Database Rollover Size
Saffron SP1 allows sites to configure the size of their document database to roll over at 1.8GB (the value all previous databases have rolled over at) or 9.5GB (in keeping with SQL Server Express’ current database size limit of 10GB).
Record Locking
Understand how Bp Premier locks database records to ensure database integrity. Record locking occurs on visits, appointments, invoices and payments.
Mark patients as inactive or deceased
Mark patients as deceased or inactivate, if a patient has not attended your practice in some time. Run a database search for duplicate or inactive patients and mark the patients in bulk as inactive.
Optimise SQL Server Memory
Optimise the amount of memory (RAM) allocated to SQL Server database, based on the amount available on your server.
Upgrade SQL Server for Bp Premier
Upgrade the edition or version of SQL Server on your Bp Premier server. Upgrade from an Express Edition to a full edition.
What utilities are available in Bp Premier?
Describes all of the utilities available from Bp Premier. Some utilities should only be run with the guidance of Best Practice Software Support.
Cleaning up uncoded and free text data
Some screens allow 'free text' entry, which is usually not searchable and may be clinically ambiguous. Bp Premier offers a free text cleanup tool for Contact and document types, reminders, and free text diagnoses.
View deleted clinical data
Deleted clinical data is always retained. Administrators can view deleted data for a type of clinical data, or for a specific patient, which can be accessed from the main screen or from within the patient record. You can also export and recover deleted data from this utility.
Delete and recover records
In Bp Premier, you can delete and restore patient and user records. Patient records are deleted through the Patient list screen, and user records are deleted through the Users screen. Both patients and users can be restored through Bp Utilities.
Audit record changes and user activity
You can monitor all password changes and login activity in Bp Premier through the View security audit utility.
Title
When can I use CommBank Smart Health in Bp Premier?
CommBank Smart Health is the Commonwealth Bank’s latest health claiming solution. The solution is currently in pilot. If you are interested in participating in the pilot or would like to learn more, please email Health.onboarding@cba.com.au.
Best Practice Software will communicate through the regular communication channels and the product release notes when CommBank Smart Health is available to all practices.
How does CommBank Smart Health work with Bp Premier?
CommBank Smart Health integration offers the following functionality:
- Integrated Medicare Easyclaim (Albert terminal only)
- Integrated Medicare Online
- Overseas Health Cover payments
- Integrated EFTPOS.
Integrated Medicare Easyclaim
Only fully paid accounts can be sent via CommBank Smart Health to Medicare for approval. If approved, the patient can use an EFTPOS card to receive the rebate in their bank account. This functionality is provided by CommBank Health Claim using a CommBank Albert Terminal.
For more information on EasyClaim and which services cannot be paid, review the Department of Human Services information on Medicare EasyClaim.
Practices must choose either Tyro or CommBank Smart Health as their Medicare Easyclaim provider. You can not enable both functionalities within Bp Premier.
Integrated Medicare Online
Use CommBank Smart Health to receive payments via EFTPOS and claim is submitted to Medicare via the patient claiming functionality in Bp Premier.
The CBA terminal will take the payment and send the claim via patient claiming in Bp Premier to have Medicare pay the rebate amount into the patient's bank account. This is performed through ticking the Send via Patient Claiming option in the Account details screen before paying the account.
Overseas Health Cover Payments
Students studying in Australia from overseas can pay for their medical services using the CommBank Smart Health Overseas Student Health Cover functionality from within Bp Premier. Use the Card Present option when the patient has their health fund card available. Currently available for patients who are Bupa or NIB health fund members.
Note that integrations between CommBank Smart Health and Private Health Insurance companies are proceeding, which will result in CommBank Smart Health cardless payment functionality being surfaced inside mobile applications developed by Australian Private Health Insurers.
Integrated EFTPOS
Use CommBank Smart Health to receive payments of custom items via EFTPOS.
Before you begin
Contact CommBank Smart Health to obtain your sign in details and EFTPOS terminals. You will receive a PMS User Id, PMS Instance ID and PIN, which are required to start using CommBank Smart Health with Bp Premier.
You must also register your practice with Medicare to use Online claiming, configure Online claiming, and test that it works correctly. See Set up Online Claiming in Saffron SP3 or later for more information.
CommBank Smart Health functionality within Bp Premier requires a persistent internet connection on any machines you process payments from.
NOTE If you're using a terminal server, you may need to configure the BP Payments Utility on each user session.
Install the Bp Payment Utility
Bp Premier integrates with CommBank Smart Health via the Bp Payment Utility. This utility is separate from Bp Premier and when installed, can be found in your system tray on your Windows desktop on the right-hand side of your taskbar.
Install the Bp Payment Utility on all machines where you will use CommBank Smart Health functionality with Bp Premier.
- Download the Bp Payment Utility here.
- Double click the downloaded BpPaymentUtility.Wix file. The BP Payment Utility installs.
- The Bp Payment Utility is visible in your taskbar.
When an update is available for the Bp Payment utility, an alert will appear. You can skip. postpone, or start the update.
Configure the Bp Payment Utility
Perform the following steps on any machine where the Bp Payment Utility is installed. The user who performs these steps must have Allow access on the Configuration permission.
- Ensure the Bp Payment Utility is running in your taskbar. If the utility is not running you can start it by navigating to C:\Program Files\BP Payment Utility and double-clicking BpPaymentsUtility.Wpf.exe.
- Log in to Bp Premier and navigate to Setup > Configuration > Billing.
- Check the Enable Bp Payments by Tray Application checkbox.
- Click Configure. The Bp Payments Utility window appears.
- You will have been supplied a User Key, PMS Integration Key and Pin by CommBank Smart Health. Enter these values on the Payments Utility window as described in the below table.
- Click Enable CommBank Smart Health Payments.
- The terminals configuration window shows all the CommBank terminals that have been configured for your practice. You can assign a global default terminal, and a default terminal for each user if you wish.
- Click Save.
- Click Save on the Configuration window.
CommBank Smart Health supplied information | Payments Utility field |
|---|---|
User Key | Pms Instance User Id |
PMS Integration Key | Pms Instance Id |
Pin | Pin |
You have now configured Bp Premier to use Easyclaim Card Present payments with CommBank Smart Health.
NOTE If you're using a terminal server, you may need to configure the BP Payments Utility on each user session.
What do I do next?
Last updated 20 April 2022
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