π Permissions: All users can chat with Minis they have access to. This guide applies to everyone. Learn more about roles β
Getting the most out of a Mini comes down to how you ask. The more specific and structured your question, the better the Mini can search its records and give you something useful. Here are some practices that make a real difference.
Make sure you're chatting with the right Mini
Each Mini is tied to a specific person in your care. Before you start, check that you've selected the right one in the sidebar β especially if you support multiple people.
Understand what the Mini has access to
A Mini can only draw on the records that have been added to it β care plans, progress notes, incidents, health records, and so on. If a document hasn't been uploaded, the Mini won't know about it. You can check what's available using the timeline view.
For more on how Minis search and respond, see the Minikai System Card.
Be specific about what you need
Include details about the context, outcome, timeframe, format, and record types you want the Mini to focus on.
Less effective β:
Write a progress note by combining recent sleep charts with a new observation from myself.Search for the following:- Notes and sleep charts detailing the client's sleep quality in the past 3 days- Any behaviours of concern during their evening routine in the past 6 monthsThen, summarise and combine with my observation: Asleep at 2000 and sleeping mostly uninterrupted throughout the night. On the 31/8 she was awake twice during the night but went back to sleep within the same hour of waking. No day time napping recorded. Wakes at varied times in the mornings, 0900-1000 in the morning.Format it as a SOAP note without dot-points, like so:S: O: A: P:
Better β :
I want to prepare a new progress note by combining recent sleep charts with a new observation from myself.Search for the following:- Notes and sleep charts detailing the client's sleep quality in the past 3 days- Any behaviours of concern during their evening routine in the past 6 monthsThen, summarise and combine with my observation: Asleep at 2000 and sleeping mostly uninterrupted throughout the night. On the 31/8 she was awake twice during the night but went back to sleep within the same hour of waking. No day time napping recorded. Wakes at varied times in the mornings, 0900-1000 in the morning.Format it as a SOAP note without dot-points, like so:S: O: A: P:
Less effective β:
Summarise mobility decline
Better β :
Summarise progress notes in the past 3 months that include details about their difficulty with transfers and the need for 2:1 support
Use specific time ranges
Time-based queries help the Mini focus on the records that matter. Open-ended questions like "when did they last fall?" force the Mini to search everything, which can slow it down and reduce accuracy.
Less effective β:
When was their most recent fall?
Better β :
Have they fallen in the past week?
If you're not sure which time range to use, start narrow and widen if needed. For example, try "in the past 2 weeks" first β if the Mini doesn't find enough, follow up with "in the past 3 months." This gives you faster, more focused answers.
Common time ranges that work well: "today," "this week," "in the past 7 days," "in the past month," "between January and March," "in the past 6 months."
Ask for responses in different languages
Minis can respond in languages other than English. This can be helpful when you're preparing notes or summaries for family members, or when you work in a multilingual team.
Simply include the language in your prompt:
Summarise their progress notes from the past week in Simplified Chinese.
Write a short update for the family about today's activities in Arabic.
Translate the following into Te Reo MΔori: "We had a wonderful morning. She joined the garden group and was very engaged."
β οΈ Always check translated content: AI-generated translations may not capture clinical nuance or culturally specific terms accurately. Have a native speaker review anything that will be shared with families or included in official records.
You don't have to get everything in one question. Use follow-up prompts to refine, combine, or reformat what the Mini gives you.
Take multiple turns to build your answer
User: Summarise the wounds the client has had in the past 3 months.Mini: User: Summarise the client's wound management plan.Mini: User: Highlight the key trends in their treatment, frequency and severity, and any gaps identified when comparing with the wound management plan.
β οΈ Always verify the output: A Mini's response is a starting point. Always check the answers against the source records, especially when the output will inform care decisions. Use citations to trace what the Mini referenced.
For more complex questions involving multiple record types, see How to break down complex questions. You can also check out Before and after for side-by-side prompt examples, or use prompt recommendations for common care tasks.
βΉοΈ Good to know: For more complex questions involving multiple record types, see How to break down complex questions. You can also check out Before and after for side-by-side prompt examples, or use prompt recommendations for common care tasks.
Need help?
Want help crafting a question for your specific situation? Message us β we're happy to help you get the most out of your Minis.