Use letter templates for referrals, excuse letters and more

How to Send External Referrals and Letters

Overview

Watch this 3-min video on how to set up templates and use them as letters in the program

In OptiMantra, please open Settings > Forms > Letter Templates to follow along

This guide explains how to:

• Create and manage letter templates
• Generate referral letters for patients
• Add signatures
• Send letters via email or fax

This process can be used for:

• Specialist referrals
• Lab orders
• Excuse letters
• Other custom communications
   

 

Step 1: Access or Create Letter Templates

1. Navigate to Settings
2. Select Forms
3. Click on Letter Templates

From here, you can:

• Preview or edit existing templates
• Click Create Letter to build a new template

Key Tip

Templates support dynamic keywords, which automatically pull patient data (e.g., name, DOB) into the document.

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Step 2: Preview or Edit a Template

1. Select an existing template
2. Click Preview

You’ll see:

• Pre-filled structure
• Dynamic fields that auto-populate when used

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Step 3: Create a Letter for a Patient

1. Open the Patient Action Menu
2. Select Documents
3. Click Add Letter
4. Choose the Practitioner

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Step 4: Complete the Letter Details

Fill out the following fields:

• Title: Custom name for the letter
• Date: Use format → Day Month Year (e.g., 12 March 2026)

Important:
Avoid using slashes (e.g., 03/12/2026), as they may cause document naming issues.

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Step 5: Apply a Template

1. Select a template from the dropdown
2. The system will automatically populate:
   • Patient information
   • Template content
3. Add the Practitioner’s signature (optional)
4. Click Save

The page will refresh and generate the letter.

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Step 6: Review the Generated Letter

After saving:

• Open the letter
• Confirm all patient details populated correctly

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Step 7: Add a Signature (Advanced Options)

If a more formal signature is needed:

1. Open the PDF view
2. Click Finish
3. Select Fill & Sign
4. Click Add New Signature

You can:

• Draw your signature
• Type it
• Upload an image

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Step 8: Send the Letter

To send the completed document:

1. Open the Action Menu next to the letter
2. Choose one of the following:

Email

• Send directly to the patient
• Patient can bring it to their appointment

Fax

• Send directly to the referral provider