> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bilby.health/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Read details from a referral PDF

> Let Bilby read a referral letter and suggest details for you to check and save.

Bilby can read a referral letter and suggest the patient's Medicare number, phone, email and address from it. Nothing is saved until you tick what to keep and save.

1. Open the patient's **Files** tab.
2. In the PDF's menu, select **Read details**.
3. Check that the letter matches this patient.
4. Tick each detail you want to keep. Look closely at anything marked "Check first".
5. Select **Save details**.

Bilby fills blank fields, and replaces what's on file only where you ticked to replace it. It never changes the patient's name or date of birth.

## The wrong-patient check

If the name or date of birth in the letter doesn't match the record, Bilby shows a red notice and ticks nothing. Check you have the right patient and the right file before you save anything.

## Scanned letters

> [!NOTE]
>
> Not every practice has this yet. Bilby turns it on for each practice. If you can't see it, contact Bilby support.

Without this, Bilby can only read PDFs that contain text. With it, Bilby can also read scans. Characters read from a scan can be wrong, so nothing starts ticked. Check each detail against the letter before you save it.


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