Add a New Patient
Every patient in your practice starts with a patient record. Create one through direct entry, email invitation, or the patient enrollment portal.
Adding a patient to DPC Pro creates their core record: name, date of birth, contact information, and membership assignment. From there, the patient can be scheduled for visits, enrolled in a membership plan, and contacted through secure messaging.
There are three ways to add a patient: staff can enter the information directly, you can send an email invitation for the patient to complete their own profile, or patients can self-enroll through your practice’s enrollment portal. Each method results in the same patient record.
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- An account holder must exist before you can add a patient. If the patient is their own account holder, register a new account holder first.
- You need Manager or Staff access to add patients.
Add a Patient Manually
Section titled “Add a Patient Manually”This is the most common method. A staff member enters the patient’s information directly into DPC Pro.
- Navigate to Patients in the main menu.
- Select Add Patient in the top-right corner.
- Choose or confirm the Billing Account (the account holder responsible for this patient). If you arrived from an account holder’s profile, this is pre-filled.
- Enter the patient’s First Name and Last Name.
- Enter the patient’s Date of Birth.
- Optionally enter Middle Name, Gender, Email, and Phone.
- Select the Relationship to the account holder (Self, Spouse/Partner, Child, Parent, Sibling, Grandparent, Grandchild, Legal Guardian, or Other).
- Select the Practice where this patient will be enrolled.
- Optionally select a Primary Provider from the list of providers accepting new patients.
- Select Create Patient.
DPC Pro creates the patient record, assigns a medical record number (MRN), and enrolls the patient at the selected practice. You are redirected to the new patient’s profile.
Invite a Patient by Email
Section titled “Invite a Patient by Email”You can create an account holder and send an invitation email so the patient can set up their own portal access.
- Navigate to Customers in the main menu.
- Select Add Customer.
- Enter the patient’s First Name, Last Name, and Email Address.
- Optionally enter Middle Name, Phone Number, Date of Birth, and Gender.
- Leave the Send invitation email checkbox selected (it is on by default).
- Select Create Customer.
The patient receives an email to set up their password and access the patient portal. Once registered, you can add them as a patient through the manual method above. Their account holder record is already in the system.
Patient Self-Enrollment
Section titled “Patient Self-Enrollment”Patients can enroll themselves through your practice’s enrollment portal. The portal allows patients to:
- Create their account holder profile
- Select a membership plan
- Enter payment information
- Complete their patient intake
Your practice’s enrollment portal link can be shared on your website, social media, or printed materials. When a patient self-enrolls, their record appears in your patient list automatically.
Required vs. Optional Fields
Section titled “Required vs. Optional Fields”When creating a patient, some fields are required and others can be filled in later.
Required at creation
Section titled “Required at creation”| Field | Why It’s Required |
|---|---|
| First Name | Identifies the patient across the system |
| Last Name | Identifies the patient across the system |
| Date of Birth | Determines age, minor status, and clinical context |
| Account Holder | Links the patient to a billing account |
| Relationship | Defines the patient’s relationship to the account holder |
| Practice | Enrolls the patient at a specific practice location |
Optional (can be added later)
Section titled “Optional (can be added later)”| Field | Where to Add It |
|---|---|
| Middle Name | Patient profile edit form |
| Preferred Name / Nickname | Patient profile edit form |
| Gender | Patient profile edit form |
| Patient profile edit form | |
| Phone | Patient profile edit form |
| Primary Provider | Patient profile or practice enrollment |
| Preferred Location | Practice enrollment details |
| Blood Type | Patient profile edit form |
| Allergies, Medications, Conditions | Medical history section |
| Pharmacy | Patient profile sidebar |
| Emergency Contacts | Patient profile |
After the Patient Is Added
Section titled “After the Patient Is Added”Once a patient record exists, here are the typical next steps:
- Enroll in a membership plan: Navigate to the account holder’s profile to assign a membership plan that covers this patient. See Membership Status and Coverage.
- Complete the medical history: From the patient profile, select Edit next to Medical History to record allergies, chronic conditions, current medications, and surgical history.
- Add a pharmacy: In the patient profile sidebar under Pharmacies, select Add to record the patient’s preferred pharmacy.
- Schedule the first visit: Navigate to Scheduling to book an initial visit with the assigned provider.
- Upload documents: Use the Documents section on the patient profile to upload intake forms, consent documents, or other files.
Related Pages
Section titled “Related Pages”- Patient Records Overview
- Manage Families and Dependents
- Account Holders vs. Patients
- Membership Status and Coverage
- Patient Communication Preferences
- Transfer or Archive Patients
Need Help?
Section titled “Need Help?”If you run into issues adding a patient, reach out to the DPC Pro support team at [email protected] or visit the troubleshooting guide.