What You'll Learn
- Merge duplicate patient records into a single unified record
- Archive individual patients and perform bulk archive operations
- Decide when to merge versus when to archive
Keeping Your Patient Directory Clean
Over time, patient directories can accumulate duplicate records (from EHR imports, manual creation, or AI agent activity) and inactive records that clutter your working list. DeepCura provides two tools to address this: Merge and Archive.
Merging Patient Records
When the same patient exists under two or more entries (for example, "John Smith" and "J. Smith"), you can merge them into a single record. From the Patient Directory, click the Merge icon on the source patient (the one you want to merge away). This opens the Merge Patient modal.
In the modal, you select the target patient -- the record you want to keep. When you confirm the merge, all transcripts, notes, tasks, and associated data from the source patient are transferred to the target patient. The source record is then removed from the directory.
This process is one-directional: data flows from source to target. Choose the target carefully, as the source record will no longer exist as a separate entry after the merge.
Step-by-Step Merge Walkthrough
Step 1: Open the Merge dialog
In the Patient Directory, locate the Create patient thread button (blue button, top of the list). Click the small arrow-down toggle next to it to reveal the actions menu, then select Merge Patient Files.
Step 2: Select Source and Target
In the merge dialog, choose the Source patient file — the duplicate record whose notes will be moved — and the Target patient file — the primary record that will receive all the data. Existing notes in the Target remain untouched.
Step 3: Confirm the merge
Click Confirm Merge. All transcripts, notes, tasks, and associated data from the Source are transferred to the Target. The now-empty Source record is removed from the directory. No notes are deleted.
When to Merge
Merge when you are confident two records represent the same real-world patient. Common scenarios include:
- A patient was created manually before their EHR record was imported, resulting in two entries.
- Name variations (nicknames, misspellings) created separate records during AI Receptionist calls or intake sessions.
- A team member accidentally created a duplicate while entering a new patient.
Archiving Individual Patients
Archiving is for patients who are no longer active but whose records you want to preserve. Click the Archive icon on any patient row, and the record moves to the archived list. Archived records are fully preserved -- notes, transcripts, tasks, and insurance data remain intact. You can view them at any time by toggling the Archived switch at the top of the directory.
To restore an archived patient, toggle to the archived view, find the patient, and click Unarchive. The record returns to the active list immediately.
Bulk Archive
For practices with large patient directories that have accumulated over months or years, individual archiving would be tedious. The Bulk Archive feature lets you archive your oldest records in a single operation.
From the actions menu at the top of the directory, select Bulk Archive. You will be prompted to specify how many of the oldest patient records to archive (for example, 1,000). A confirmation dialog warns you about the scope of the action before proceeding. This is particularly useful for practices migrating from another system where historical records were imported but are no longer needed in the active view.
Soft Delete Options
In addition to archiving, the directory provides two soft-delete options for cleanup scenarios:
- Delete Today's Records -- Removes all patient records created today. Useful when testing or when a batch import went wrong.
- Delete Last Accessed Records -- Removes a specified number of the most recently accessed records. This targets records that were opened recently, which may be relevant for cleaning up test data.
These operations are soft deletes, not permanent destruction. They are designed for administrative cleanup rather than clinical record management.
Merge vs. Archive: A Quick Guide
| Scenario | Action |
|---|---|
| Two records are the same person | Merge |
| Patient left the practice | Archive |
| Historical import no longer needed in active list | Bulk Archive |
| Test data from today | Soft Delete Today's Records |
| Records with wrong data from batch import | Merge the valid ones, archive the rest |
Next Steps
Continue to Lesson 4.1 — The Agent Ecosystem.