Online Appointment Scheduling (Patient Self-Scheduling)

4D EMR now allows patients to self-schedule appointments by selecting from real-time available openings from configured resource calendars, appointment types, and practice operating hours via a unique link embedded on the practice website, social media channel, text message, etc. Optionally, appointments can be configured to require online payment of a scheduling fee to complete a booking.

Upon activation of Online Appointment Scheduling by 4D EMR Staff, practice administrators can follow the below instructions to configure and implement this feature.

It is critical to thoroughly test Online Appointment Scheduling before deploying for use by patients. Please use the test settings (or similar) in the below instructions to perform initial testing and to familiarize practice staff with this feature. The settings can be easily edited and updated for production use.

Configuration and Testing Preparation/Pre-requisites

♦ Create a new appointment type for online appointment testing (optional).

Suggested name: TEST Online Booking: Consult

♦ Create a new Notification as shown below (optional).

Profile Name: Online Appointment Test
Trigger Event: When Appointment Is Scheduled
Appointment Types: TEST Online Booking: Consult
Office Locations: <Select Locations as desired for testing>
Providers: <Select Staff as desired for testing>
Delivery Method: Text Message & Email
Message: {0} You scheduled an online appointment with {1} on {7}. Please save it on your calendar.

See also: Notification Setup

Settings

♦ Go to 4D EMR Main Menu: Practice >> Settings >> Online Scheduling - then click on Edit Settings.

♦ On the Online Scheduling Settings window, set the Content labels as shown below. The Max Bookings per hour setting should be set to reduce the risk of malicious attempts to "spam" book appointments.

Template Setup

♦ Go to 4D EMR Main Menu: Practice >> Settings >> Online Scheduling

Set For Calendar dropdown to: <Staff as desired for testing> - then click New.

♦ Set the Templates Details as shown below:

Template Name: Test Online Appointment Template
Appointment Types: TEST Online Booking: Consult
Locations: <Select Locations as desired for testing>
Require Credit Card: Leave this set as "Unchecked" for initial testing*
Days to look ahead: 21
Start-End Times: 09:00 - 17:00**
Week Days: Select - Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

*360 Payments Credit Card integration allows

Initial Testing

♦ Go to 4D EMR Main Menu: Practice >> Settings >> Online Scheduling - then click on the link shown below*

*The link above the Scheduling Templates label is the practice link patients will use to self-schedule appointments. This link can be embedded in practice website, social media, or emailed or texted to patients.

♦ Complete test self-schedule process/workflow:

♦ Go to 4D EMR Schedule Page

New bookings will create an alert as shown below. Click Online Bookings link.

New bookings will be listed. Select the desired new booking.

New bookings will appear on the schedule with diagonal stripes. Right-click and edit the appointment.

The appointment can be Accepted or Rejected
- If the booking is for a new patient, click Accept and the appointment AND patient will be added to the system.
- If the booking is for an existing patient, 4D will match the appointment to the correct patient record, unless the patient's data entry of their personal information does not match. In the latter case, practice staff can search and match to the correct patient.

If accepted, the appointment will appear as active and automatic notifications will be enabled for the appointment.
- Important! No automatic notifications will be sent to new patients until the patient record has been updated to allow communications. See below information about new patients.

New Patients

New patients cannot receive automatic notifications from 4D EMR until the phone has been set to "Mobile phone" (for texting) and "Notifications" has been checked as authorized.

New patients that self-schedule appointments should be contacted manually via text message or phone to confirm appointments and/or be sent an invitation to complete the New Patient information in the Intake Portal.

Notifications

Automatic Notifications (text and/or email) will be sent to patients based on the notification linked to the appointment type booked. The notification trigger "When Appointment Is Scheduled" will not activate until AFTER the appointment has been accepted by practice staff.

As stated above, new patients cannot receive automatic notifications from 4D EMR until the phone has been set to "Mobile phone" (for texting) and "Notifications" has been checked as authorized. This must be done manually by the practice.

Require Credit Card (360 Payments integration)

A scheduling fee can be required before a patient can confirm a self-scheduled appointment. Practices must have an active integration with 360 Payments

Check the "Require Credit Card" box and set the scheduling fee in the Template Details section described above.
Set the scheduling fee charge.
This fee can be applied to future purchases.
- This fee is NOT intended to be used as a direct payment for services. It is payment for a scheduling fee, not a direct purchase of services.

See below window showing additional entry credit card prior to patient self-scheduling finalization.

Additional Notes

Only one online scheduling link is currently generated per practice. A different link per provider and or location is not available.
Any Appointment or Happening scheduled on a specified Calendar will block that time from the patient self-scheduling options.
Scheduling templates are ignored by Online Appointment Scheduling.
Branding is not currently available.
There is no option to charge a scheduling fee only if the patient does not show.