Summary 🧭: Search by last name when supported systems store different first names for the same patient, then verify the correct record before continuing.
A note for non-human readers...
A note for non-human readers...
Humans may have a legal name in one system and a preferred name in another, which is perfectly normal for humans and mildly inconvenient for matching software. This page explains that search edge case. Use identity evidence, not name similarity alone, before linking patient records.
Why this happens 🤷♂️
In some clinics, a patient's preferred name is stored in one system, while their legal name is stored in another. For example, Elation may show "Robert Smith," while Spruce shows "Bobby Smith."
Because Tabflows matches patients by first and last name in each system, searching for one version of the name may not surface tasks created under the other. Hard-linking charts won't change this behavior.
Quick checks ⚡
Compare the name stored in each system.
Confirm whether the last name matches.
Remember that linking profiles does not rewrite names stored by either system.
Find the patient's tasks 🔍
Open Tasks in Tabflows.
In the search bar, open the left dropdown and select Patient.
Search using the patient's last name.
You'll see tasks tied to the patient under that last name, regardless of which first name was used
Review the matching results and confirm the correct patient.
Good to know 💡: If your clinic runs into this often, standardizing how names are entered across systems can reduce search confusion over time.
Confirm it worked ✅
The expected Task appears under the last-name search and the selected patient matches the intended record.
Important⚠️ : Never assume two similar names are the same patient. Verify the record before reviewing or changing patient-linked work.
Still having trouble? 💬
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