Cerner Patient Locks- How To Release Locks

Please note: This guide contains instructions on how to unlock several different patient locks within Cerner. You will need to review and determine which type of lock you are trying to release.

Managing Locks in Revenue Cycle Workflow

Last modified on Mar 08, 2023

 

Managing Locks in Revenue Cycle

Locks are created during patient access workflows to ensure that only one user is working in a patient record at a time and protects the patient record so that one user is not overwriting information that another user has entered into the record.

Users may be prompted with person locks if trying to interact with a patient currently being used by another user.

Users with the appropriate access may view or manage locks by using Locks Manager, available by selecting Locks from the Task menu.

Locks Manager allows users to view both registration and scheduling locks. 

Person Locks

A person lock is created when a user attempts to access a patient when another user is already working in the patient's record. This lock's purpose is to ensure that only one user is working in a patient's record at a time and protects the patient record so that one user is not overwriting information that another user has entered into the patient record. From this dialog box, you can view or remove your locks or locks held by other users.

If another user is currently working in a patient record, an alert is displayed.

Complete the following steps when you see the Person Lock dialog box to view or remove person locks:

1. Select View Locks. The Locks Manager dialog box is displayed.
   
2. Select the appropriate option to show locks for the current user, another user, a person, or all users. The qualifying locks are displayed on the table below.
3. Select the lock you want removed and select Remove to release the selected lock
4. To close the dialog box and return to the main application, select OK.

Registration Locks

The Registration tab of Locks Manager matches the features of person locks, displaying locks created when a user attempts to access a patient when another user is already working in the patient's record. This lock's purpose is to ensure that only one user is working in a patient's record at a time and protects the patient record so that one user is not overwriting information that another user has entered into the patient record. From this dialog box, you can view or remove your locks or locks held by other users.

Complete the following steps to view or remove registration locks,:

1. From the Task menu, select Locks. The Locks Manager dialog box is displayed.
2. Select the Registration tab.
   
3. Select the appropriate option to show locks for the current user, another user, or a person. The qualifying locks are displayed on the table below.
4. Select the lock you want removed and select Remove to release the selected lock
5. To close the dialog box and return to the main application, select Close.

Scheduling Locks

The Locks Manager dialog box provides the ability to manage booking and actions in-progress locks. In the Locks Manager dialog box, you can review and remove locks as appropriate. You can manage your own lock and locks held by other users. You may also view the locks placed on a patient.

There are two types of scheduling locks which can be viewed:

• Booking: A lock created during the booking process and places a hold on the time, resource, and patient schedule until the appointment is confirmed. For example, if another user tries to schedule an appointment for the same patient at the same time as another appointment is booked or pending, a patient conflict warning is displayed because of the booking lock.
• Action In-Process: This lock is created for an appointment while an action (such as a modify, reschedule, or cancel) is performed on the appointment. This prevents multiple users from attempting to select the same request action concurrently. For example, two users cannot complete the same request for a patient because of an action in-process lock.

Complete the following steps to view or remove scheduling locks:

1. From the Tasks menu, select Locks. The Locks Manager dialog box is displayed.
2. Click the Scheduling tab.
   
3. Under Show Scheduling Locks For, select the appropriate option to show locks for the current user, another user, or a person. The qualifying locks are displayed in the table below.
4. Under Lock Types to View, select to show Booking or In-Progress Appointments locks. The qualifying locks are displayed in the table below.
5. Select one or more locks (to select multiple locks, press and hold CTRL while you select multiple locks) and click Remove to release the selected lock or locks.
   • The Remove All button is only available for your own locks.
6. To close the dialog box and return to the main application, click Close.

Source: https://wiki.cerner.com/display/public/rcaHP/Managing+Locks+in+Revenue+Cycle+Workflow

Removing Other User's Locks Using Appointment Book

Last modified on Sep 17, 2019

 

Oracle Cerner recommends enabling an option to automatically display user locks when you first log into Scheduling Appointment Book (SchApptBook.exe).

Complete the following steps to manage user locks:

1. When you log into Scheduling Appointment Book, the Locks window is displayed immediately if you hold any locks.
   
    

2. If you have the appropriate security, you also have the ability to remove other user's locks. Select Show Other User's Locks. The Provider Selection window is displayed.

3. Enter the appropriate search criteria to find the other user. 
4. Select the user you want and click OK. The Provider Selection window closes, and you can see locks held by the other user.
    
    
5. Select the lock you want to remove and click Remove.
   

Source: https://wiki.cerner.com/display/public/1101schedulingHP/Removing+Other+User%27s+Locks+Using+Appointment+Book

Releasing Locks Through Conversation Launcher

Updated 1/10/2024- MET

Occasionally user will report that Cerner application froze on them and when they signed back in the patient they were working with is not accessible due to error that it is locked by them. Here is how to resolve the LOCKED session.    

From App Bar you will need to add the Conversation Launcher Application Icon 

Locate the Conversation Launcher application from the list under the Buttons tab.  

Once added click okay. You will now see new Icon on your Ap Bar 

When you click on this icon it will open the Person Mgmt: Conversation Launcher tool. The Lock session is NOT listed within any of the icons shown on this console. Instead Right Click on the white section of the screen.  

Select View Locks, This will show all users that currently have a conversation locked in the system. NOTE THIS DOES NOT MEAN ALL OF THE USERS ARE LOCKED. This could mean that they are actively in an account (so it is locked) DO NOT unlock any one that is not reporting an issue. Select the appropriate USER from the list and then click Unlock 

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