Patient Search and Filtering

As a patient database grows, the ability to locate specific records quickly becomes essential to an efficient clinical workflow. Scrolling through a long list of patients is impractical when dozens or hundreds of records exist. A structured set of search and filtering tools ensures that the right patient record can be found in seconds, regardless of database size.

Dermi Atlas provides a comprehensive search and filtering system within the Patient Database. Records can be located using text search across multiple fields, narrowed by date ranges, refined with tag-based filters, and sorted by several criteria. All filtering is performed instantly after the initial page load, providing a responsive experience with no delays between filter adjustments. This article covers each tool available for searching and filtering patient records.

Accessing the Patient Database

The Patient Database is accessible from the primary navigation sidebar in Dermi Atlas. It is the central location for viewing, searching, and managing all patient records associated with the logged-in account. Each account sees only its own patients; records belonging to other accounts are not visible.

The page header includes a Create Patient button for adding new records and a Refresh button for reloading data from the server. The Create Patient button requires an active license.

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

Text Search

A search input field is located at the top of the Filter and Search panel. Text entered into this field is matched against the following patient record fields:

• Unique ID (the patient identifier)
• Full Name
• Notes
• Tag Names (all tags assigned to or inherited by the patient)

The search performs a case-insensitive substring match. For example, entering "john" will match patients named "John Smith", "Johnathan Lee", or any patient whose unique ID, notes, or tags contain the text "john". The maximum search input length is 32 characters.

Search results update automatically as text is typed.

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

Quick Patient Creation from Search

When a search term is entered and no matching patient records are found, a prompt appears offering to create a new patient using the search term as the unique ID. The prompt displays the formatted ID and provides a Create Patient button that navigates directly to the patient creation form with the ID pre-filled.

If the entered text contains characters that are not valid for a unique ID (only lowercase letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens are permitted), the system automatically formats the text to meet the requirements. An alert is shown when this formatting occurs, displaying the original input alongside the adjusted version.

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

Sorting

The Sort by section within the Filter and Search panel controls the order in which patient records are displayed. Four sorting criteria are available:

• Last Modified: Sorts by the date and time the patient record was last updated. This is the default sort option.
• Last Appointment: Sorts by the date of the most recent clinical entry associated with the patient.
• Unique ID: Sorts alphabetically by the patient identifier.
• Name: Sorts alphabetically by the patient full name.

Each sort option can be toggled between ascending and descending order. The selected sort option and direction can be configured to persist across sessions, or to re-initialize to customized default values. This behaviour can be adjusted on the Preferences page.

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

Date Range Filter

The Date range section provides start and end date inputs for filtering patients by their most recent appointment date. Only patients whose last appointment falls within the selected range are shown.

By default, the date range spans from the earliest to the latest appointment date across all patients in the database. The range can be narrowed by adjusting either or both dates. A reset button restores the date range to its full default span.

The current active date range is displayed as a summary badge next to the section header (for example, "Mar 1, 2026 - Apr 10, 2026"), providing a quick reference without needing to expand the section.

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

Tag-Based Filtering

The Filter by tags section displays all tags that are currently assigned to patients in the database. Each tag button shows the tag name, its category color, and the number of patients associated with that tag.

Clicking a tag toggles it as an active filter. Multiple tags can be selected at the same time. When multiple tags are selected, patients matching any of the selected tags are shown. A badge next to the section header indicates how many tags are currently selected (for example, "3 selected").

Tags are also filtered by the current search term. If a search term is active, only tags whose names match the search text (or tags that are already selected) remain visible in the tag list. This prevents the tag section from displaying irrelevant options when a text search is in effect.

If no tags have been assigned to any patients, the section displays a "No tags available" placeholder.

For information on creating and managing tags, see Tag Management.

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

Attribute Filters

The Filter by attributes section provides two attribute-based filters for patient records:

• Entries (based on the number of clinical entries)
• Images (based on the number of images)

Each attribute filter cycles through three states when clicked:

• Any: The attribute is not considered when filtering. This is the default state.
• With: Only patients that have at least one item of this type are shown.
• Without: Only patients that have zero items of this type are shown.

These filters are useful for identifying patients who have been created but do not yet have any clinical entries or images associated with them, or conversely, for viewing only patients with existing clinical data.

When one or more attribute filters are active, a badge next to the section header indicates the count (for example, "1 active").

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

How Filters Combine

All active filters are applied together using AND logic. A patient record must satisfy every active filter to appear in the results:

• It must match the search text (if any is entered)
• Its last appointment date must fall within the selected date range
• It must carry at least one of the selected tags (if any tags are selected)
• It must meet the criteria of all active attribute filters

This combination allows for precise queries. For example, a search could locate all patients tagged "follow-up" whose last appointment was in the past month and who have at least one clinical image on file.

Clearing Filters

A Clear Search button is positioned next to the search input field. This button resets all active filters at once:

• The search text is cleared
• All selected tags are deselected
• The date range is restored to its default span
• All attribute filters are returned to the Ignore state

The Clear Search button becomes visible when any filter is active, providing a single action to return to the unfiltered view of the full patient database.

Pagination and Results Count

Below the Filter and Search panel, a results summary displays how many patient records match the current filters (for example, "Showing 1 to 20 of 47 results"). An Items per page selector allows the number of records displayed per page to be adjusted. The available options are 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 records per page, with 20 as the default.

When multiple pages of results exist, pagination controls appear at the bottom of the page for navigating between pages. The current page resets to the first page automatically whenever the active filters change.

The selected items-per-page value can be configured to persist across sessions, or re-initialize to a custom default value. This behaviour can be adjusted on the Preferences page.

Illustrative demo with synthetic data. Learn more

Patient Cards

Each patient in the search results is displayed as a card containing the following information:

• Unique ID as a clickable button that navigates to the patient detail page
• Full Name
• Last Visit date, formatted as a full date (for example, "March 12, 2026")
• Tags displayed as color-coded badges
• Image Count and Entry Count
• Last Modified date
• Thumbnail Image generated from the most recent patient image, or a placeholder if no images exist

Each card also includes two action buttons:

• Pool navigates to the patient Image Pool
• Entries navigates to the patient clinical entries list

The card layout is responsive. On larger screens, results are displayed in a two-column grid. On smaller screens, the layout adjusts to a single column.

Persistent Preferences

Several aspects of the search and filtering interface can be configured to persist, or re-initialize to custom default values, ensuring a consistent experience across sessions. The following settings are configurable:

• Sort option and sort direction (ascending or descending)
• Items per page selection
• Section expansion states for each collapsible panel (Filter and Search, Sort by, Date range, Filter by tags, Filter by attributes)

These preferences are specific to each user account.

What This Means for Clinical Workflows

The Patient Database search and filtering tools provide structured access to patient records as a practice grows. Text search across patient identifiers, names, notes, and tags enables quick lookups, while date range, tag-based, and attribute filters support targeted queries for clinical review or administrative tasks. Persistent preferences reduce repetitive setup, and the quick patient creation prompt streamlines the workflow when a search confirms that a new record is needed.

These capabilities ensure that locating and managing patient records remains efficient regardless of database size, keeping the focus on clinical care rather than data navigation.

Every feature described here is available in Dermi Atlas Professional, the self-hosted deployment designed for clinical use. The Dermi Atlas Cloud Demo provides access to core workflows for evaluation, though some capabilities may be restricted. For more on the security architecture behind patient data protection, see Our Approach to Patient Data Security.