Online Scheduling Configuration Set-Up and Link – CoAction Software, Inc.

Online Scheduling Configuration Set-Up and Link

Our online scheduling feature allows you to generate a link that is connected to your database. You can take that link and add it to your website or campaigns so, a new and/or existing patient can get scheduled.
You will be able to allow Existing patients to flow right to the schedule. New Patient appointments and any patient entered without a case created will have to be approved.
To Get Started, the configuration must take place so the feature is ready to use

How Online Scheduling displays available appointment times

First, the online scheduling feature will first grab the providers' hours set up in Admin>Providers>Schedule Tab
Second, will look to see if a schedule exception has been entered

Third, It will look to see if a limitation was entered into Admin>Resource Booking.

STEP-BY-STEP SETUP

Step 1: Setting up your Approved Appointment Message Template

This message template is what the patient will receive once their online appointment request has been approved. You will be provided a blank canvas to enter the message of your choice.

Please NOTE:

If you are allowing Existing patients to come straight to the schedule, they will not receive these messages. They will only receive the natural appointment reminder you have set up in your system.
If you have it selected that ALL requests have to be approved, they will receive the message once the request has been approved by a clinic member.

Go to Admin-->Template for Online Apt

Each area will allow you to place in data inserts for Appointment "Date and Time", "Provider" appointment is scheduled for, "Patients First" Name, a "Reschedule Link", and "Cancel Link".

Email: Create your Subject Line and Message Body. Below you will see a sample message but, please feel free to make it your own.

Text: Create a Message Body. Below you will see a sample message but, please feel free to make it your own.

Save once the message area is created.

Testing:

The reschedule and cancel links sent are different every time they are received. This is due to the link having specific data that is tied to the appointment scheduled. If you would like to test a link or your Email/Text template, you must create an appointment for yourself.

Step 2: Enter the necessary configuration settings for Online Link

Go to Admin --> Online Booking Config Settings

Main Title: The main title section allows you to create a customized header for your online scheduling form. Some examples might be Online Scheduling Form, Online Booking Request, Clinic Name etc.
Visit Request Reason Title: This area tells the patient what to enter in the note field. This area is linked to why the patient wants to come in. This note also creates a clipboard icon attached to the Appointment and Appt Reports.

Time Slot Increments: Choose time slot increments the patient should see. This area should match the time increments being used in your appointment book.

Auto-Schedule Existing patients: The system defaults to all appointments needing to be approved (turned off)

This MUST be turned on during the setup/testing phase

If you would want to continue to allow for Existing patients (Patients acknowledged in the system) to automatically flow to the appointment book, you will leave this turned on after testing.

If you would like to manually approve all patient appointment requests, this setting will be turned off after testing/setup is complete.

Confirmed Visit Header: You will enter what you would like the patient to see. Some Examples might be "Thank you", "Visit Request Scheduled", "Your appointment request has been sent to the clinic", "Thank you! Your Appointment time has been sent to the clinic" etc.
Confirmed Visit Footer: This area will allow you to create an additional message or redirect your patients to your Facebook account, review page, etc. as it will allow you to add a link. If you would like it to say click here, you must place in a partial code or your whole link will display.

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You would mimic the underlined area and where we have it in bold, that is where you would place in the link you are redirecting your patient to. Support can help you with this area if you have trouble.

Image: You can leave the displayed default image or change the image to whatever you would like it to be. You can enter a URL for an online image from your website and select update OR click on the image displayed to upload a saved image on your computer.

**TIP: If there is an image on a webpage you want to use, right click the image and select "Copy Image Link", then place it into the "Change image to online url" area

**TIP: When it comes to the Banner, If no banner is currently present and you would like to update it to a customized banner image file saved to your pc, enter this url into the "Change image to online url" area (#7 in image below):

https://www.coactionsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CoAction_full_logo-2048x409.jpg

Hit Save, to close the "Settings for online bookings" page.

Reopen Admin>Online Booking Config Settings page>Click on the Banner and select your saved image on your pc.

**DO NOT SELECT COPY ONLINE BOOKING URL TO CLIPBOARD AT THIS POINT**

Saving your Data: Once All settings are Entered, Hit Save at the bottom right of the screen to lock in changes.

Below you will see 2 images that show where the customization options will present themselves. This is meant to assist by showing exactly where that information will present itself.

Scheduling Form:

Appointment Confirmation Page:

Step 3: Take Online Scheduling for a Test Drive!

Once saved Go back into Admin --> Online Booking Config Settings

Select "Copy Online Booking URL to Clipboard"

Once the link is copied you will post the link where needed. To test, paste the URL into your web browser.

Schedule a test appointment just as a patient would

Select Preferred Provider: All providers within your database will display within the dropdown for a patient to choose the provider they would like to schedule time with. If you would like to remove providers from online scheduling, simply go to Admin>Providers>Select Provider>Edit> Check the box at the bottom "Do Not Show on Online Schedule>Save.

Select Date and Time: Dates and Times according to the provider's office hours will be available.
Contact Information: If you have a patient file created in your CoAction Database, Enter Your First/Last Name, Email, and/or Cell phone number to move forward for database Identification.
Reason for Appointment: If you would like, you can enter a note indicating why you are scheduling this appointment. The patient is unable to choose their Reason for Visit. This area provides the patient with a way to indicate why they would like to be seen. This note will remain attached to the patient's appointment.
Submit Appointment Request: At the bottom, select Submit appointment request for it to move on to the clinic. The first appointment will take some time to come in 5-10 min. A new ROV will also be added to your database named "Online Booking Request"

Each patient will see the customized confirmation page when the appointment is scheduled.

This portion of the setup is now complete!!!

Once your scheduled appointment is displayed on your appointment book, you are ready for Phase 2 Resource Booking.

Resource Booking is not required to utilize this feature but, If you would like to set up Resource Booking to restrict the number of appointments allowed in a time frame, please go to the Resource Booking article to walk through the provided steps.

If you do not want your patients to have free reign over your schedule, this feature MUST be set up before using your online scheduling link in a live setting.

Additional Articles

To check out our additional article regarding Clinic Management of the Online Scheduling feature, click HERE

To Check out our additional article regarding Patient Utilization of Online Scheduling, click HERE

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