Configuring and Using PDF previews

Article author
Sam Wood
  • Updated

What is the purpose of the article?

This article describes how to configure the ability to preview PDF files as part of a Patient's Medical History, as well as demonstrate the effects of that configuration.

 

How do you configure the feature?

To enable the ability to preview PDF files in a Patient's Medical History

1. Navigate to Admin > Configuration > Documents

On this screen, you'll see a configuration option for 'Show PDF previews'.

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2. Check the box Show PDF previews

3. Then Save your configuration change.

This will enable the behaviour for all users of your Meddbase instance.

 

Viewing PDF Previews in the Medical History

Once the feature is enabled, you'll be able to see a preview of any PDF uploaded to the patient record, in line in the Medical History.

Preview of any pdf uploaded to the patient record

By default, only a small portion of the document will be visible. You can view up to 5 pages of the document by clicking the prompt 'Click document to show more', or clicking anywhere on the visible portion of the document.

This will let you scroll through those first 5 pages, and then give you some more information about how much more document content is available.

Bottom of pdf preview in Medical History with annotation highlighting text that a certain number of pages are shown

If you need to see the entire document, you can still open it in your browser, or download it using the Document Manager, by choosing the Open action item above or below the document.

Pdf preview in Medical History with annotation high-lighting the Open button in top-right of preview screen

When the document preview is expanded, clicking anywhere on the document will close the preview.

Expanded pdf preview with annotation high-lighting click document to show less

 

Viewing PDF Previews in Consultation Suite

If a PDF document is added during an appointment, you can also view it from within the consultation suite. To do so, from within the consultation, click on the Appointment you want to view on the left-hand side of the screen:

Consultation page for appointment with appointment identified by annotation in left-hand panel

This will open a read only view of the appointment recorded previously, including documents attached during that consultation. PDF documents will be rendered in a similar way to the Medical History view:

pdf document rendered in consultation suite in preview

You have the same controls in this view, and can;

  • Expand the PDF view to show up to the first 5 pages of the document
  • Open the document in your browser or via the document manager
  • Delete the document
  • Share the document with the Patient (if the Patient Portal is enabled)
    Please note: This feature works best when the 'Use advanced PDF viewer' setting, located in Admin > Configuration > Advanced, is Disabled.  

 

Review date

This article was last updated on 24 August 2021 in the context of Meddbase version 1.246.0.33144