# Initiate a New Discussion Thread with Patient or Caregiver
## Step-by-Step
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To contact a patient, you must go through a care channel in their patient file.
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**To initiate a new discussion thread with patient or caregiver, you must find a care channel where they are located.**
In the example below, we see two care channels, and the orange box shows that only the second one includes the caregiver. We could then click on the discussion thread creation icon to quickly create a new discussion thread in the right place.
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**You can modify the default participants of the discussion thread by clicking on *****Modify*****.**
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**Here we see that the pharmacist team was not included in the thread you were about to create.**
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In the current state, pharmacists will not be notified but can consult the thread if needed.
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Check the corresponding box if you want to add them.
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You cannot remove your own team.
**It is also impossible to remove the patient and their caregivers from the discussion.**
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**Click on the back arrow at the top left to return to discussion thread creation.**
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**Enter a message, a title if needed, then send the discussion with the button at the top right.**
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**Your new discussion thread now appears in the *****Social Worker***** care channel in Mr. Lachance's file.**
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**On the *****Home***** page, under the *****Active Threads***** tab, you can quickly recognize a discussion thread including a caregiver thanks to the green squares next to the date.**
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If a patient were part of the care channel, the square would be pink.
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