The scheduler is a highly-utilized interface with many features to help you optimally manage even the most complex calendar.
This step-by-step guide has two parts to fully educate you on how to optimize your use of the scheduler. Part 1 covers how to navigate the scheduler interface. This article Part 2 covers how to use the scheduler and manage appointments.
In this article you will learn how to:
- Leave a Note For All Staff Members
- Add a patient to the Scheduler
- Check previous appointments with fee estimates
- Add reminders and notes to appointments
- Check a patient in and out
- Interpret appointment icons
- Add Blocked Time
- Double book appointments
Related Article:
How to Leave a Note For All Staff Members
You can create a note in a scheduler column. It will be seen across all staff members to improve practice-wide communications. Hovering the note will show you who created the note and when.
How to Add a Patient to the Scheduler
To add a new patient, click the Add Patient icon on the scheduler.
Then fill out the patient information. Chosen Name will display in parenthesis on all appointments.
Another way to add a new patient is to click on the start time for the appointment in the calendar to create the appointment.
Select the appointment type then click the + icon to add a new patient's information.
To locate an existing patient, search for the patient's name using first or last name, email address, birth year, or phone number.
Complete the appointment by inputting the patient's visit reason(s) and appointment duration, which may autofill, and save the appointment.
The appointment status defaults to Scheduled.
For more information on appointment statuses, please see these articles:
Check Previous Appointments with Fee Estimates
You can check all previous patient appointments and estimates associated with them by clicking See appointments and fee estimates in the appointment window.
You'll see a list of appointments and estimated for the patient. You can access the pdf version of the estmates, edit estimates and schedule appointments for an estimate right from this pop-up window.
Add Reminders and Notes to Appointments
Reminder are used internally to follow up on appointments. When creating a reminder, be sure to add information in the Notes section on what action needs to be taken when the reminder appears as a dashboard notification. The dashboard notification will be labeled as a follow-up call and will display for the staff member who scheduled the appointment and the provider assigned to the appointment.
Notes are also used internally to document relevant information concerning the appointment.
Checking a Patient In and Out
When the appointment status is Scheduled, the appointment displays a yellow bar on the left and a yellow ? in the bottom right corner.
To check the patient in, click the bottom right corner, regardless of the icon displayed, to activate the patient check in option.
Clicking in the round circle will document the patient as checked in. This indicates to all users that the patient is on premises. You can also reassign the room for the appointment from within this interface.
Note: If a patient has been checked in for their appointment inadvertently, they can now be unchecked for that appointment.
(arrow pointing to the left) means the patient is checked in
(arrow pointing to the right) means the patient is checked out
After the patient visit, click in the bottom right corner of the appointment again to check the patient out. This indicates to all users that the patient has left the premises and provides a summary of the check in/out times.
Grey checked out appointments
If you want the appointments that have been checked out to grey out to visually indicate that the patient has been checked out you can do it by turning on a toggle button in Practice Profile.
Go to Practice Account -> Practice Profile -> Appointments tab. Turn the toggle button on.
Appointment Icons
You will notice some appointments will have icons next to the arrow:
- Patient History icon is blue and opens that patient's history in a separate tab
- Invoice icon indicated by $ shows an invoice has been created for the appointment
- Red/Yellow/Green Form icon indicates the status of signatures for all forms required for that appointment:
- Red - all forms are not signed
- Yellow - some forms are signed and others are not
- Green - all forms are signed
- Note: forms for surgical procedures as indicated in Treatment Setup will require the provider to counter sign and will appear yellow until that is completed.
- White Note icon indicates that a chart or operative note was started
- New patient icon helps to understand that the appointment was created for a new patient
Block your Schedule
When an appointment is created with Appointment Type set to Blocked Time, it indicates that the provider should not be scheduled for appointments during that period.
Blocked Time will appear in orange on the scheduler and patients will not be able to self schedule an appointment during the blocked time period.
You can set the blocked time for a longer period with the repeat functionality, with a maximum of 1 year.
In the above screenshot, 'Never' means a maximum limit of 1 year for all 'Repeats' options. Repetitive appointments of all kinds (not only Blocked Time) can be created for up to 1 year for all available options. The changes will be reflected on the calendar in appx. 5 minutes after the Save.
The functionality will be improved in 2024.
Creating Multiple Blocked Times Simultaneously
To save time when adding Blocked Time for multiple providers who work across different locations, we you can add Blocked Time in bulk.
For adding multiple locations and providers to Blocked Time, please follow these steps:
1. Go to your calendar and select an open time slot.
2. Change the appointment type to Blocked Time.
3. In the location and provider fields, select all the providers whose schedules you want to block out as well as the locations that you want to block out.
4. Select the duration of the Blocked Time.
5. When you are ready, Save the appointment.
6. Check that the configurations are correct and click Continue to confirm.
6. As a result, the schedule for all of the selected providers in all chosen locations will be blocked instantly.
Double Booking Appointments
It is possible to double book appointments in order to ensure maximum efficiency for the practice. To be notified that there is a scheduling conflict based on provider, room, or resource for the time slot selected, navigate to Practice Account > Practice Profile > Appointments and activate the desired alert notifications. The alerts can be overridden to enable double booking.