Utilizing Patient Medical Records in the Provider Portal

• What is Zus?

  Zus Health is a health data platform that integrates medical records from various health exchanges to provide a comprehensive view of a patient’s health history.

• Where to Find Zus Data:

  • Go to a patient’s profile in the Nourish Provider Portal.

  • Click on the “Medical Records” tab to access the following data:

    • Overview

    • Demographics

    • Diagnosed conditions

    • Medications

    • Diagnostics

    • Vitals

    • Other relevant clinical information

• Availability of Records:

  • Please note, not all patients will have medical records available in the Nourish provider portal.

  • Record availability depends on where the patient has received care and whether those providers are integrated with health data sharing networks.

  • If the patient’s medical records are not available in the portal and you need to request records from their provider, first confirm that the provider is listed on the ROI. Once confirmed, you can request labs using this form here

Within the “Medical Records” tab in the Provider Portal, you can access a comprehensive overview of your patient’s health. Here’s what you’ll find and how to use it effectively:

• Conditions: Review existing diagnoses to understand your patient’s medical history.

• Medications: Check current and past prescriptions to assess potential nutrition interactions or adherence challenges.

• Diagnostics: Access lab results, imaging, and other diagnostic data.

• Vitals: View patient vitals, which may include:

  • Blood Pressure:

  • Pulse:

  • Temperature

  • Respiratory Rate

  • Oxygen Saturation:

  • Height/Length:

  • Weight:

  • BMI:

• More: Additional insights are available under categories like:

  • Documents: Uploaded files or additional health records

  • Allergies: Known allergens to inform care plans

  • Immunizations: History of vaccines to ensure complete health context

  • Care Team: A list of the patient’s other healthcare providers, enabling better care coordination

These records give you a clearer picture of the patient’s overall health status. Use this information to tailor your care plans and reinforce discussions about how medical nutrition therapy (MNT) aligns with their broader health goals.

1. Preparation for Sessions:

   • Review available records before the session to tailor your assessment and identify key health information to discuss with the patient.

2. During the Session:

   • Discuss the data with the patient, using it to validate or clarify their health history.

   • Educate patients on how conditions or medications may influence nutrition and health goals.

3. Care Planning:

   • Use the data as a reference to guide your clinical decision-making and care planning.

   • Document how the medical records influenced your recommendations in the chart note.

4. Outcome Collection

• Use the “Labs and Tests” dropdown in the assessment section of the chart note to track patient outcomes over time. Documenting key labs (e.g., HbA1c, cholesterol, glucose levels) helps monitor progress and demonstrates the impact of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) on their health goals.

• If the patient’s health records are incomplete or unclear:

  • Ask clarifying questions during your session.

  • Use the patient’s feedback to update their health profile in the chart note.

• If you notice discrepancies or concerns:

  • Ensure all providers are listed on the ROI before reaching out and communicate with the prescribing provider as needed.

  • Ensure patients understand the importance of medical follow-ups if gaps in care are identified.

• Explain to patients how their medical records help you better support their health.

• Use the data as a basis for collaboration with referring providers.

• For example, if you notice medication side effects or suboptimal lab values, reach out to the provider to share observations and recommendations.

• Always reference medical records in your chart notes when applicable (e.g., “Based on the patient’s A1C of 8.5% (date), discussed basic carbohydrate education.”).

• Ensure your notes are clear, concise, and reflect how the data informed your care plans.

• If there is incorrect or outdated information in the records, document this in your chart notes and communicate directly with the patient or referring provider as needed.

• Dismiss Functionality in Conditions, Medications, and Diagnostics:

  • While reviewing the conditions, medications, and diagnostics in the Zus Medical Records tab, you may notice a "dismiss" feature.

    Important: Please refrain from using the dismiss function.

    The dismiss function in Zus medical records allows users to hide or remove specific data points—such as conditions, medications, or diagnostics—from their view in the interface. While this feature is intended to streamline workflows by filtering out irrelevant or outdated information, it does not delete the data permanently. Instead, it simply removes the data from your active view or dashboard.

    Since this could lead to critical information being inadvertently overlooked, we are not utilizing this feature in our workflow. All data should remain visible and accessible to ensure comprehensive patient care. By avoiding the dismiss feature, we ensure the data remains accurate and available for all providers involved in the patient’s care.

• Leveraging medical records effectively strengthens your role in delivering holistic, high-quality care while fostering trust with your patients.

• Zus medical records are a tool to enhance—not replace—your clinical judgment. Providers should use their own clinical judgment, expertise, and assessment of the patient to guide care.

• The goal is to integrate the data seamlessly into patient care, ensuring personalized, evidence-based recommendations.