The Reference Concept Database is a repository used by the MacPractice Server to keep track of several different types of codes or lists used in several areas of MacPractice, including but not limited to current ICD10 codes, NDC codes, medication (RxNorm) codes, and so on.
We at MacPractice will regularly release an updated Reference Concept Database to accommodate any changes to these codes released by the appropriate agencies.
This article covers how to update the Reference Concept Database so you're always current on the available codes at your disposal when using MacPractice. If you encounter any issues with following these instructions, you are always welcome to contact MacPractice Support for additional assistance.
Downloading the Reference Concept Database Installer
You'll need to follow these steps on the MacPractice Server Computer. This installer is valid for all MacPractice builds above 5.0.37. If you are running MacPractice 5.0 or earlier, please contact MacPractice Support for assistance.
The Reference Concept Database installer will be available from the MacPractice download site. You will need your Serial Number handy, as well as your MacPractice Account e-mail and password. If you don't know how to locate or can't find these pieces of information, contact MacPractice Support and we will be more than happy to assist you.
Alternately, you can get access to this page by navigating to the MacPractice Menu in the MacPractice software and selecting "Updating Codes", as shown on the right:
When successfully logged in, click the button labeled "Reference Concept Database". It will look like the screenshot below. This will start the download.
Users have reported that using Chrome to download the Reference Concept Database doesn’t seem to work very well.
We recommend using Safari to download the Reference Concept Database.
This file will be roughly 200MB. The time to download depends on the speed of your internet connection.
If you are using Safari, you can see the progress of your download by looking at or clicking the download button in the upper right corner, visible in the below screenshot. If you click it, a Downloads pop up will appear, displaying details about the download.
Installing the Reference Concept Database
Make sure MacPractice is not running at the time of the installation, and all users must be logged out of MacPractice on all office computers. The MacPractice Server App will need to be closed during installation.
We also advise anytime you update anything MacPractice related that you have a fresh backup available. The installation itself will take between 7 to 12 minutes on most computers, although if your disk drive is older it could potentially take longer.
Once the download completes, right-click the package and select “Open With > Installer”. Simply double clicking the package may result in an error, as this isn’t a package that’s installed from the Apple Store.
There'll be a series of prompts. Read and Click "Continue" when you're ready.
This next prompt informs you how large the installation will be, and will allow you to change the installation location by clicking on the respective button. Unless you have a specific need to install the RefCon Database in a different location, we recommend you leave this as the default.
Click the "Install" button when ready. The installation will then begin. You'll see several different steps, and on most modern computers this process takes roughly 7 to 12 minutes. On older computers it could take longer, between 15-20 minutes. We recommend setting aside a full hour to ensure you have plenty of time.
Once you see this screen, the installation is complete! You may now log in to MacPractice and should now have access to the latest updates to the ICD-10 codes, NDC codes, etc.
If you encounter any issues, don't hesitate to reach out to MacPractice Support.