Register
Role: Clinic Nurse / Clinic Staff
Purpose: The purpose of this job aide is to describe in detail how to register a patient in SanteIMS so that all necessary identifiers, demographic data, and clinical background information are captured correctly. Proper registration guarantees that every individual has a single, accurate IIS record supporting immunization tracking, continuity of care, and reliable national reporting. Accurate data entry ensures that mother–child linkages are preserved, duplicate records are avoided, and data integrity is maintained across all facilities participating in the national immunization program.
⚠️ Always search for the patient first before creating a new record. Duplicate records cause clinical and reporting errors, including incorrect vaccination intervals, missed or repeated doses, and inaccurate statistics for national and regional monitoring.
Registration vs Vaccination (Important)
Patient Registration is used to create and validate the patient record and to capture baseline clinical history. It is not intended to record vaccines administered during the current encounter.
If a vaccine is being given today, it must be recorded during a clinical visit, where the system can link the administration to a lot number for accurate stock deduction, reporting, and follow-up. This separation protects vaccine inventory accuracy and ensures that clinical documentation matches what was actually administered.
Search for an Existing Patient
Before beginning a new registration, always check whether the patient already exists in the IIS.
From the Dashboard, open the Patients menu and select Search. This feature allows you to find existing records across the system.
Enter one or more identifiers into the search field. Separate multiple identifiers with spaces. You can search by any of the following:
Notice of Birth Serial Number
IIS Barcode or IIS Unique ID
National ID or health number
Patient name combined with date of birth (for example:
Ane Peni 2019-06-14)
If you are uncertain of the spelling, you may enter only part of the name to broaden the search results.
If the system returns no results, perform a secondary search using the mother’s name. This step is particularly important for infants or children who may have been registered under the parent’s details.
If no match is found after both searches, proceed to create a new patient record. Click Register from the Patients menu to open the registration form.
Begin Registration
From the left-hand navigation menu, expand the Patients section. Before continuing, verify that your facility name and catchment area displayed at the top of the page are correct.
Select Register. The Register Patient form will open. It contains multiple sections that must all be completed before saving.
Ensure that the Register Patient form has loaded correctly. If it does not appear, refresh the page or confirm that your user account includes the registration permission.
Identification
The Identification section records all unique identifiers that distinguish one patient from another.
Enter every identifier that is available. These may include:
Notice of Birth Serial Number
National ID number
IIS Barcode printed on the patient’s health or vaccination card
Including as many identifiers as possible improves search accuracy and ensures that future staff can locate the record even if one detail changes.
If your facility uses barcode stickers:
Take the next unused barcode sticker from the roll.
Affix it neatly to the patient’s vaccination or health card.
Scan or type the barcode number into the IIS.
That barcode becomes the patient’s permanent IIS Unique ID and links all future visits to the same electronic record.
Demographics
The Demographics section captures essential personal details about the patient.
Enter the patient’s given and family names exactly as they appear on official documents or as stated by the caregiver. Use proper capitalization and confirm spelling accuracy to ensure consistent reporting and search results.
Enter the Date of Birth (DOB). If the exact date is unknown, record the age instead. For infants younger than one year, express the age in decimal years so the system can calculate an approximate DOB automatically.
1
0.08
2
0.17
3
0.25
6
0.50
9
0.75
11
0.92
👉 Formula: months ÷ 12 = decimal in years
Select the patient’s Gender. This required field determines which clinical profile panels will later appear in the registration form.
Record the Birthplace, selecting the correct location type (hospital, clinic, home, or other). Accurate birthplace data supports facility-based birth reporting.
If the patient is 13 years old or younger, the Multiple Birth field becomes visible. Tick this box if the patient was part of a twin, triplet, or other multiple birth. Leave it blank for single births.
Address
Enter the patient’s home address in full. At minimum, the city, town, or village must be entered, as this is a required field for geographic reporting.
If the patient is temporarily living somewhere other than their permanent address, click Add Temporary Address. This function is used for patients who are boarding for school, staying with relatives, or relocated temporarily for treatment.
Additional Information
The Additional Information section changes depending on whether the patient is a child (under 18) or an adult (18 and older).
Complete all child fields thoroughly. Confirm whether the child was part of a multiple birth and record the Living Arrangement describing who cares for the child and where they live. If additional confidentiality is required, activate VIP Status. Record the child’s Nationality (for example, Fijian, I-Kiribati) and list all Citizenships held. For school-aged children, search for and select the School name from the system list—do not type free text, to maintain consistent data for education-linked programs.
For adult patients, enter the following:
Occupation – choose the closest category such as student, homemaker, or retired.
Education Level – record the highest level completed.
Marital Status – select the current legal or declared status.
Living Arrangement – identify where the adult resides; if temporary, use the Temporary Address field.
VIP Status – enable only when special privacy is required.
Nationality and Citizenship(s) – record both cultural identity and legal membership.
Employer – search and select the workplace, if applicable.
Religion – optional unless required by the national program.
Nationality vs. Citizenship Nationality describes cultural or ethnic identity (e.g., Fijian, I-Kiribati). Citizenship defines legal belonging to a country with rights and obligations. They may be identical or different; record both when known.
Facilities
Every patient must be correctly linked to one or more facilities.
Select the Primary Facility, which is the clinic where the patient normally receives care and where their IIS record will be managed.
If the patient also receives care at another site—such as a hospital, outreach post, or school—add that site as an Incidental Facility.
Verify that the Registration Facility automatically reflects your current location. If not, correct it manually before saving.
Primary Facility = usual site of care. Incidental Facility = occasional or secondary site. Registration Facility = the location where registration is performed (e.g., outreach clinic).
Mother or Relative Information
These sections establish caregiver relationships and ensure correct mother–child linkage.
Note: Required for all patients under 18 years; optional for adults.
Mother’s Information
Enter the mother’s full name, age or date of birth, and mobile number (required). If her address differs from the child’s, record the alternative address. Optionally add occupation, nationality, citizenship, and employer. If the mother is unknown or deceased, tick the relevant box and record at least one other adult in the Relatives section.
Relatives / Guardians
Add additional caregivers such as father, guardian, or next of kin. For all minors, at least one adult contact must be listed for follow-up. These contacts are stored as linked records but are not separate patients unless they also receive care.
Clinical Profile / Information
The Clinical Profile section appears at the bottom of the patient registration form and is used to capture essential clinical background information at the time a patient is first registered in the Immunization Information System (IIS).
The information recorded here provides the clinical foundation for all future visits, carepaths, vaccine forecasting, pregnancy workflows, and reporting logic. The panels displayed within this section are determined automatically by the patient’s age and gender and may differ between children, adolescents, and adults.
Accurate and appropriate completion of the Clinical Profile ensures that historical immunizations and baseline indicators are documented correctly, that pregnancy logic functions safely, and that future clinical encounters are not blocked by missing required information.
The following panels may appear based on patient type:
Children (0–12 years)
Scheduled / Routine Immunization, Developmental Disability, Breastfeeding Status (≤18 months), Mother’s HIV Status During Pregnancy
Adolescents (12–20 years)
Scheduled / Routine Immunization, Developmental Disability (≤20), Sexually Transmitted Infectious Diseases, HIV Status, Pregnancy Status & History (females 14–45)
Adults (21+ years)
Ad-Hoc Booster Immunization, Sexually Transmitted Infectious Diseases, HIV Status, Pregnancy Status & History (females 14–45)
Scheduled / Routine Immunization (Children 0–12 years)
The Scheduled / Routine Immunization panel is used to document vaccines that were administered in the past, prior to the current registration encounter. This panel exists to capture historical immunization information so that the IIS can correctly calculate future doses, carepaths, and catch-up schedules.
It is critically important to understand that this panel is not used to record vaccines given on the day of registration.
Each row in the grid represents a vaccine antigen, while each column represents a dose number (for example: Dose 0, Dose 1, Dose 2). White cells are editable and allow entry of known historical administration dates. Greyed-out cells indicate doses that are not applicable based on age or schedule logic.
Recording accurate historical doses here prevents the need for later back-entry and ensures continuity of care when a child presents at a new facility or after a schedule change.
Important — Vaccines Given Today Must Not Be Entered Here
⚠️ Vaccines administered on the same day as registration must never be recorded in this panel.
Vaccines given today must always be recorded during a clinical visit, where the administration can be linked to a specific vaccine lot number. This lot linkage is what allows the IIS to deduct stock correctly, support accurate national stock and coverage reports, and connect documentation to adverse event (AEFI) processes when required.
When a vaccine is recorded in the Clinical Profile without a visit, the administration is not tied to a lot number, which leads to inaccurate inventory and reporting errors.
Schedule Changes and Historical Vaccines
National immunization schedules may change over time as countries introduce new vaccine products, transition from one combination vaccine to another, or retire older products. When this happens, children may return to care with valid doses documented on a card that do not match what appears in the current IIS schedule grid.
In these situations, the goal of registration is to preserve the patient’s historical record accurately, while ensuring that vaccines given today are still recorded during a clinical visit for correct stock counting and reporting.
Override — Recording Historical Vaccines Not on the Current Schedule
In some situations, a child may have received vaccines under an earlier schedule that differs from the schedule currently configured in the IIS.
For example, a child may have documented doses for a legacy combination vaccine, and the program later transitions to a different product. The child returns with a vaccination card that is clinically valid, but the product does not appear in the default registration grid.
In these cases, the Override function may be used to add historical vaccines only. Override allows clinicians to accurately document valid doses that are no longer part of the current schedule, including legacy or discontinued products, so that immunity history and forecasting remain clinically safe.
The Add Vaccine list may include products such as OPV, HEXA, Td, or COVID-19. These options are provided strictly for historical documentation and must not be used to record vaccines administered during the current encounter.
Clinical Guidance
This panel must be used only for vaccines that were administered in the past and are supported by reliable documentation, such as a vaccination card, clinic register, or discharge summary. When deciding where to record a vaccine, always ask whether the vaccine was given before today.
If the dose was given before today, it belongs in the Clinical Profile. If the dose is being given today, it must be recorded during a clinical visit so that the administration is tied to a lot number and stock is counted correctly.
Correct use of this panel protects patient safety, vaccine stock accuracy, and national reporting integrity.
Ad-Hoc Booster Immunization (16+ years)
The Ad-Hoc Booster Immunization panel is used to document the most recent **adult Tetanus and Diphtheria (Td)**dose. This information supports clinical decision-making for routine adult boosters, wound management, and pregnancy-related tetanus protection.
To complete this panel, record the date of the most recent Td dose and indicate the dose number. This information is used by the system to determine whether a booster is due based on national guidance and documented dose history.
Pregnancy Status (Females 14–45 years)
The Pregnancy Status panel is displayed automatically for all female patients aged 14 to 45 years.
This section captures the patient’s current pregnancy status and, when applicable, calculates gestational age and the Estimated Delivery Date (EDD) using the Last Menstrual Period (LMP). The information recorded here drives antenatal care workflows, tetanus immunization logic, pregnancy risk identification, and maternal reporting across the IIS.
Recording Pregnancy Status
To complete this section, begin by selecting the most appropriate pregnancy status from the drop-down list. Options include Asked / Unknown, High-Risk Pregnancy, Multiple Pregnancy, Normal Pregnancy, and Not Pregnant. Selecting any option other than Not Pregnant activates additional pregnancy-related fields.
When a pregnancy is identified, the Date of Last Menstrual Period (LMP) must be entered. The LMP serves as the clinical reference point for calculating gestational age and the system-generated EDD. If the exact date is unknown, enter the best clinical estimate based on history or assessment.
Once a valid LMP is entered, the system automatically calculates the gestational age (in weeks) and the EDD.
Understanding EDD Override
The system calculates the Estimated Delivery Date (EDD) using the LMP entered. The Override option is used when another dating method is considered more accurate (for example, ultrasound dating).
Overriding the EDD does not remove the LMP from the record. It allows the clinician to document the clinically preferred EDD while maintaining a transparent record of how pregnancy dating was determined.
If an alternative dating method is available, such as ultrasound, the Override option may be used to manually adjust the EDD. Override should only be applied when clinically justified.
The Pregnancy Confirmation Method should then be selected to indicate how the pregnancy was identified, such as urine testing, blood testing, abdominal palpation, vaginal examination, or clinical history.
Finally, record any current pregnancy complications that apply. These include gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy, traumatic injury during pregnancy, and caesarean scar pregnancy. Selecting complications informs risk stratification and downstream antenatal care.
Clinical Logic
The LMP field is required whenever a pregnancy status other than Not Pregnant is selected. Gestational age and EDD are system-generated but the EDD may be overridden when supported by clinical evidence. If Not Pregnant is selected, pregnancy-related fields are hidden and do not block saving.
Missing required pregnancy information will trigger validation warnings and prevent the registration from being saved until resolved.
Pregnancy History (Females 14–45 years)
The Pregnancy History panel records a woman’s obstetric history from previous pregnancies. It is displayed for all female patients aged 14 to 45 years and provides clinical context for risk assessment and future pregnancy planning.
This section captures past outcomes and does not replace or duplicate the current Pregnancy Status panel.
Recording Pregnancy History
Begin by indicating whether pregnancy history information is available. If no history is available, no further input is required.
When history is available, enter the best known values for the total number of pregnancies (gravida), the number of term births, the number of preterm births, the number of abortions (including miscarriages), and the number of living children. If exact counts are not known, enter the best estimate based on the available history and documentation.
Record any historical pregnancy complications that occurred in previous pregnancies, including gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy, traumatic injury during pregnancy, or caesarean scar pregnancy. This information supports continuity of care and helps identify patients who may require closer monitoring in current or future pregnancies.
Do not duplicate complications related to the current pregnancy in this panel.
Sexually Transmitted Infectious Diseases (Current & Historical)
Confidentiality and Sensitive Information
Sexual health information is sensitive clinical data. Always follow local policy and professional standards for privacy, consent, and disclosure when collecting and recording this information. Only record what is known at the time of care, and avoid making assumptions in the absence of documentation.
If your role does not permit access to certain sensitive fields, follow your facility escalation process rather than attempting to work around privacy controls.
This panel is displayed for patients starting at 12 years of age and remains part of the clinical profile for life. It records current or historical sexually transmitted infections and is intended to capture clinical history rather than screening intent. When Yes is selected, required fields must be completed for each STI entry.
HIV Status (12+ years)
Confidentiality and Sensitive Information
HIV status is sensitive clinical information. Always follow local policy and professional standards for privacy, consent, and disclosure when collecting and recording this information. Only record what is known at the time of care, and avoid making assumptions in the absence of documentation.
If your role does not permit access to certain sensitive fields, follow your facility escalation process rather than attempting to work around privacy controls.
This panel is displayed for all patients 12 years of age and older and records the patient’s most recently known HIV status. A selection is required before the registration can be saved. This information may be updated in future visits if new information becomes available.
Developmental Disability (0–20 years)
This panel is displayed for patients under 21 years of age and is used to document reported or observed developmental or cognitive impairments. Information recorded here may be based on caregiver report, school information, or clinical observation and does not represent a confirmed diagnosis unless established elsewhere.
Breastfeeding Status (Required for Children ≤18 months)
This panel is mandatory for children up to and including 18 months of age. A selection must be made before the registration can be saved. Once the child is older than 18 months, this field no longer blocks saving.
Mother’s HIV Status During Pregnancy
This panel records the mother’s HIV status during the pregnancy associated with the child. If no selection is made, the system defaults to HIV Negative. This field does not block saving and may be updated later if more accurate information becomes available.
Save and Verify
Data Quality Warnings
During patient registration, the system may display Data Quality Warnings at the bottom of the screen before the record is saved. These warnings highlight missing, incomplete, or potentially conflicting information that could affect patient identification, follow-up, or national reporting. They are designed to draw attention and support safe documentation.
Data Quality Warnings usually appear in a yellow banner and include options such as Dismiss or Go To to help you review the affected section.
It is important to distinguish between a Data Quality Warning and a hard validation error. A Data Quality Warning is an alert intended to prompt review and encourage complete documentation, and in some cases a warning can be dismissed if the information is genuinely unavailable. A hard validation error, such as Required Fields Missing, prevents saving and must be corrected before the record can be created.
Common Data Quality Warnings
Identifier Missing for Children Under 5
For children under 5 years of age, the system expects at least one official identifier to be recorded, such as a Birth Registration Number or a National ID. If neither is entered, a warning may appear indicating that an identifier should be provided. Whenever possible, record at least one official identifier to support accurate identification, follow-up, and national reporting.
Identifier Already Used
A warning may also appear if an identifier entered during registration already exists in the system. This can occur when a parent or guardian has already been registered as a patient, or when the same Birth Registration Number, National ID, or barcode is entered for more than one person. These warnings help prevent duplicate patient records or incorrect linking.
If you see this warning, use Go To to review the identifier field. Confirm whether you are attempting to register the same individual (in which case you should stop and search instead), or whether the identifier was entered incorrectly and needs correction.
How to Respond to a Data Quality Warning
Read the warning carefully, use Go To to navigate to the affected section, and correct the information if it is available. If the information is genuinely unknown or unavailable, proceed according to local guidance and professional judgement.
Accurate identifiers are essential for preventing duplicate records, protecting mother–child linkages, supporting reliable immunization tracking, and ensuring accurate national reporting. Whenever possible, resolve data quality warnings before completing registration.
Once all sections are complete, finalize the record.
Required Fields Missing
If any mandatory field has not been completed, the system will display a red message at the bottom of the screen:
Required Fields Missing
When this message is present, the system is deliberately preventing the record from being saved because one or more required fields has not been completed. This is a safety and data integrity feature. The most reliable way to resolve it is to scroll back through the form carefully, locate the incomplete mandatory field(s), and complete them before attempting to save again.
Tip: If you are unsure where the missing required field is located, review the Clinical Profile panels near the bottom of the form. Some panels appear based on age and can become required (for example, Breastfeeding Status for young children), which will block saving until completed.
Review every section carefully. Confirm that all mandatory fields, identifiers, and clinical information are complete and accurate.
Click Save. The system validates the information and creates the patient record.
After saving, the system automatically redirects to the Patient Dashboard. This confirms that registration was successful.
Verify that the IIS Unique ID displayed matches the barcode applied to the patient’s card. 
If barcode stickers are not used, clearly write the IIS ID on the patient’s vaccination card for reference during future visits.
If supported, click Print QR on the dashboard to generate a scannable QR code for the card. 
✅ Summary
The Patient Registration process forms the foundation of every clinical workflow in SanteIMS. Completing registration correctly ensures that each person has one accurate, verifiable record that can be shared across all connected facilities. The process links newborns to their mothers, enables longitudinal vaccination tracking, and supports accurate national health reporting.
Every section of the registration form serves a practical purpose, from establishing patient identity and preventing duplicates, to ensuring that baseline clinical history is recorded accurately so that future visits and carepaths behave safely.
When registration is saved, the IIS automatically assigns a unique IIS ID (and optional QR code) to the patient. This identifier remains valid across future visits and facilities, supporting continuity of care and reliable data exchange at the national level.
Completing this process accurately is critical. A well-registered patient is not only ready for clinical care but also contributes to stronger, evidence-based public health decision-making across the Pacific region.
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