Please be aware that this tool has the potential to delete important data with no means of reversing the deletion.

Important information

• A warning will be displayed if you attempt to run this tool while another user has the tool running.
  
• We strongly advise you perform a backup immediately prior to running the delete aged data procedure as this function cannot be reversed. EXACT will not check if a backup has been performed before running the tool.
• The criteria EXACT searches for to determine if a patient is active, it looks for both past interactions with the practice and future scheduled interactions.
  For example, a patient may have been off the practice reader for 10 years, but actually have an appointment scheduled within the next month, this patient would be considered active.
• When EXACT looks for indications of whether a patient is active, it differentiates between treatment charged and treatment completed because these don't necessarily occur simultaneously. A clinician may have completed treatment but only intends charging when some other condition is met, for example the patient has not been charged for anything in 10 years, but has three extractions completed in the last month, and therefore is considered active.
• It is possible to delete the data of patients with a Debit balance. EXACT automatically writes off the debit balance before deleting the patient data.
• It is not possible to delete the data of patients with a Credit balance. For these patients you will need to make an equivalent adjustment in the patient file to bring the balance to zero, then refer back to the open Delete Aged Data tool screen.
  Credit balance management must be done while the Delete Aged Data screen is open, otherwise EXACT sees the adjustment as a very recent transaction and disqualifies the patient from the aged data list.
• Patients with no recorded Date of Birth (DOB) cannot normally be deleted as there is no means to confirm that they meet the minimum age requirements for deletion. However, they can be deleted if they qualify for an Inactive Reason and you specify that reason in the Delete Aged Data parameters.
• During the procedure, although all patient-identifying features are removed, patient transactions are retained against anonymous names in EXACT for reporting purposes. For example, the Invoiced Work by Owning Dentist Report still needs to reference invoiced work, and the Appointment Analysis Report still needs to reference appointments, even if these were made by aged data patients.

Deleted and retained data

When running the tool, the following data is deleted:

• Any open unpaid amounts
• All charting, appointments, documents, notes, claim data, recall data, contact entries
• Xrays (EXHANCE)
• Videos/Images (EXAMINE)
• Xrays (EXAMINE Pro)
• Any letters sent or scanned into the Patient file (bypassing the Windows Recycle Bin)
• All data in the patient record is obfuscated so that Transactions can be retained without identifying the patient
• Deleted records are hidden from all patient search functions
• Following deletion, there is no patient-identifying data left on the system
• The deleted patient is marked as inactive, prevented from booking and has all existing recalls set to to “Do Not Recall”

The following data is retained:

• Transactions remain with the deleted patients, but the patient details are obfuscated and therefore no longer recognisable
• Due to the way EXACT currently functions, all transactional items must be retained for historical reporting purposes. In reports all deleted patients are referred to as **DAD[No.], such as **DAD17
• Invoicing is unaffected - the invoices themselves refer to **DAD[No.] patients without identifying the patients
• Financial reporting remains intact and historically valid.

Deleting patient aged data

1. Confirm all users are logged out of EXACT.
2. Perform a data backup.
3. Select Administration - Delete Aged Data.
   

4. Read the warning information then accept once the information is confirmed.
   
   Delete Aged Data Tool Warning: This tool will search for patients who have not had any activities on their accounts for the specified period. If selected, those patients' personal details will be obfuscated, but their historical activities will be retained. There is no undo to this process. It is strongly recommended that you take a backup before proceeding.

5. Only if you understand the consequences outlined should you select Yes I have a valid backup.
   (If you are uncertain in any way click the Quit button to return to the EXACT main screen).

6. The first page of the Delete Aged Data Wizard displays.
   

7. Read and follow the instructions.

8. Select the Next >button.
   EXACT checks to see if you have sufficient security permissions for deleting from the documents and photos folder/s and the Xrays folder.
   If you don't have sufficient permission you will see an error message.
   

9. The window includes a Re-check option. This allows you to edit security permissions then check again.
   When you have met all permissions requirements, select the Re-check button and the second screen of the Wizard displays.
   
   The screen has two sections: Active patients and Inactive patients.
   You can specify the parameters for deletion using Active, Inactive or both.
   Change the default figures if required (Note that these are based on UK NHS specifications for deleting aged data).

   WARNING: Consider changes to the default figures very carefully as it is possible to inadvertently delete large numbers of your active patients.

   To delete the data of all Inactive patients leave the Inactive Reason field blank, otherwise choose an Inactive Reason by means of the selectors.
   Patients with no recorded Date of Birth (DOB) cannot normally be deleted as there is no means to confirm that they meet the minimum age requirements for deletion. However they can be deleted if they qualify for a Reason Inactive, and you specify that reason.
   From the View Inactive Reasons window you can add, edit or delete Inactive Reasons.
   

10. Select the Next > button. The Delete Aged Data (identified patients) screen displays.
    

11. Identify patient data for deletion by checking the checkboxes.
    In deciding which patient data to delete you can do the following:

    1. Link to a patient File by clicking the patient's hyperlinked name.

    2. Check if any outstanding treatments.

    3. Check tooth history and if any uncharged treatments.
       
       

    4. Check that no recalls are due.
       

    5. Check the patient transactions.
       

        

    6. Any debit amount displays in red text in the Delete Aged Data screen.
       If you change the details for any patient you will be prompted with a caution that you need to un-select the patient to avoid data deletion.
       With at least one patient selected the Delete Selected Patient Details button becomes active.

12. When you are certain of the selections, click the Delete Selected Patient Details button.
    You will see a Final Confirmation window.
    

13. Select Continue if you are certain.
    A Deletion progress bar displays as the data is deleted: The length of the process is usually at least an hour. The duration depends on the size of your EXACT database files. 
    
    You will see a Complete notification.
    

14. Pay attention to the information on the Complete pop-up to understand how many patients were deleted.
15. Select OK once complete.