Write a letter, sick note or absentee note from the patient's chart in PS Suite. Docnote adds it to the chart and emails the patient a link to pay. Once they pay, they can download the letter. This takes about 2 minutes.

Before you start

• The patient's chart needs an email address. The letter form reads it from the chart.
• The Docnote custom forms must be installed in PS Suite. See How do I install the Docnote custom forms in PS Suite?

Open the letter form

1. Open the patient's chart and click Letter / Note in the Docnote toolbar.

Check the patient and practitioner

1. Under Patient Information, check the patient's name, date of birth and email. The payment link goes to this email.

2. Under Practitioner, check the practitioner. The doctor you're signed in as, or signed in under, is already selected. If you pick someone else, the letter is billed to them.

No email on file?

The form says the patient has no email on file. Add the email to the patient's chart in PS Suite, then reopen Letter / Note.

Choose the type of letter and its fee

1. In Service, choose the letter you're writing. The list shows the letter services from your fee schedule, with your price.

Write the letter

1. Under Input Letter Text, type the letter, or paste in text you've already written.

2. Check the Letterhead next to it. The letterhead belongs to the doctor you're signed in as or under, and their own letterhead is selected for you. To use another, such as a clinic letterhead, pick it from the list.

Letterhead says Clinic default?

Your clinic has no letterhead set up in PS Suite, so the letter uses the header PS Suite builds from the doctor's details. Nothing is wrong. Letterheads are set up in PS Suite under Preferences > Letters > Custom Headers. Close and reopen the form after a change.

Preview the letter

1. Click Preview letter. The letter opens as a PDF, exactly as your patient will receive it. Nothing is sent and nothing is added to the chart.

Add a note for your patient or extra time

1. Optional: under Notes to Patient, add a short note. The patient sees it on their payment request.

2. Optional: if the letter took extra time, add it under Additional Professional Time as 15-minute blocks. The subtotal updates.

Create the request

1. Click Create Request.
2. Check the summary: the practitioner, the patient, the service and the email the request will go to. Confirm it.

3. The form shows Request Submitted with the request number, then closes.

What happens next

1. The letter is added to the patient's chart.
2. Your patient gets an email with the amount and a link to pay.
3. When they pay, they can download the letter. The request moves to Paid on the Service Requests list in Docnote.

What your patient sees

Your patient opens the link, pays by card, and downloads the letter. See How do I pay my request?