DocNow · Feature Guide

Create and Manage a Census

A census is the working list for one round at one facility on one date. Create it manually, use Quick Create for today's round, or schedule it ahead of time. Once created, you can rename it, copy patients forward from a previous round, or delete it when it is no longer needed.

Create a census

Click Add Census from the census list to open the Create Census window. Choose your facility, give the round a name, and select a date — today is pre-filled so the most common case requires no extra input. Future-dated censuses let you plan ahead and pre-populate patients before the morning begins.

Step 1 of 2

Click Add Census from the census list to start a new round.

Step 2 of 2

The Create Census window — choose a facility, name the round, and set a date. Today is pre-filled.

Quick Create for today

One click from the Today section creates today's census for your primary facility without opening a window. For providers who start the same round every morning, this is all they need.

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Quick Create in the Today section creates today's census in one click — no window, no decisions.

Schedule a census for a future date

Select any future date in the Create Census window to schedule a census ahead of time. Future-dated censuses appear in the Upcoming section of your census list and can be pre-populated with patients before the round begins.

Create a team census

Assign a round to a care team by selecting the team in the Create Census window. Team censuses appear in every team member's census list with a team badge. Any team member who is a facility member can mark patients Seen, create notes, or add comments — the census is shared across the team in real time.

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Team censuses appear in every team member's census list with a team badge.

Create multiple rounds at the same facility on the same day

Some facilities split morning and afternoon rounds, or a second provider needs a separate list on the same date. Two censuses at the same facility on the same day are supported — DocNow suggests a suffix you can rename before saving.

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Two censuses at the same facility on the same day — each with its own name, patient count, and status.

Manage existing censuses

Copy patients from a previous round

When you round the same cohort day after day, pick a prior census during creation to pre-populate its patients. DocNow shows your recent rounds to keep the picker short. Copying forward saves time at the start of each day and avoids rebuilding the list from scratch.

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Pick a prior round to pre-populate its patients when creating today's census.

Rename a census

Census names can be updated at any time from the row actions in the census list. Renaming does not affect any clinical data attached to the census — notes, charges, and patient records are preserved.

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Rename any census from the row actions — clinical data is preserved.

Delete a census

Delete a census from the row actions in the census list. Deletion is blocked when clinical activity is associated with the census — for example, when a patient has been marked Seen, has a note in any state, or has a charge recorded. Review the blocking message and correct only information that was entered in error. Do not change an accurate visit status or remove valid clinical documentation solely to allow census deletion. If the census must be removed but contains valid clinical activity, contact your DocNow administrator or DocNow Support.

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Deletion confirmation — the message identifies what is blocking deletion if clinical activity exists.

Create and Manage a Census — DocNow

Create and Manage a Census

Create a census