Entering appointment details

Entering appointment details

Overview

Details of a new appointment can be specified in the Create event dialog box. This dialog box also displays a preview of the selected provider’s schedule for the selected date, with the new appointment highlighted in yellow. Depending on user-configurable settings in the Setup menu, double-booking (of either providers or resources) may be allowed. If double-booking is not allowed, the preview panel will help ensure that the new appointment does not conflict with existing appointments.

Selecting a patient

The Select patient dialog box will appear. In it, do one of the following:

  • Select None at the top of the list.

  • Select the desired patient or QuickAdd.

    

To quickly locate an existing patient in the list, type one or more letters of the patient's last name in rapid succession in the search bar.

The patient note will appear in the bubble text, when using the mouse to hover over a patient's name.

Next Appointment (if applicable)

In the Create event dialog box, click the Next Event calendar icon to hide or show details. This icon will only appear if the selected patient has a future appointment. 

Setting the location

In the Create event dialog box, click the Location drop-down menu to select a location.

The location may be predefined with one of the following (in order of precedence): 

  • The location specified in the patient’s Details tab (if a patient was specified).

  • The location currently being viewed (if <All> is not selected).

Setting the calendar

In the Create event dialog box, click the Calendar drop-down menu to select the desired provider.

The calendar may be predefined with one of the following (in order of precedence): 

  • The preferred provider in the patient's Details tab (if a patient was specified).

  • The default provider for the selected location (if only one provider is present at the selected location).

Setting the description

In the Create event dialog box, the patient’s name is automatically included in appointment title. You can also add a custom event title description, which will appear on the schedule as part of the event label.

image-20250829-181418.png

This information is displayed on the scheduling screen and can be used to search for the appointment.

Setting the referral source

  1. In the Create event dialog box, click the ellipses button to select the desired referral type and source for the appointment. 

  2. Use the search bar to narrow down your list.

3. Highlight the desired referral source and click

.

Optionally, click on the 

 button to include your patient list in the referral source search. 

Click on the 

 button to include healthcare providers.

Setting the event type

In the Create event dialog box, click the Event type drop-down menu to select the desired event type.

Event types can be configured in the Setup menu. For more information, see: Setting up event types.

Selecting appointment analysis information

  • Mark busy: Serves as a visual indicator that the provider should NOT be double-booked for another appointment. The appointment will show in a solid color on the calendar. If Mark busy is not checked, the appointment will show in white on the schedule, with a colored outline. 

  • Companion present: Indicates the patient will be bringing a family member/friend to the appointment.

  • Sales opportunity: Indicates the appointment presents an opportunity for a sale.

Appointment analysis data can be transferred to Elite BI Reporting module for Elite Hearing Network members. To enable this feature, contact Blueprint Solutions.

The Un-designate events as sales opportunities user privilege is needed to remove the sales opportunity designation when creating or editing events.

  • Un-aidable: is a checkbox option for Consult YHN members. This data can be transferred to the Consult YHN Wake Up Call. 

Designating the event as a telehealth appointment

Complete the following steps if the event you are creating is a telehealth appointment.

  1. In the Create event dialog box, check the Telehealth checkbox. This checkbox will already be checked if the chosen event type was set as a telehealth event type.

  2. Once the Telehealth checkbox is checked, the Videoconference field will appear below. If a default telehealth platform has been set, or if the chosen provider has provider-specific platform settings, information will appear in the Videoconference field by default.

3. If no details populate in the Videoconference field by default, or if you wish to edit the platform, URL, or instructions, click on the 

 button to the right of the Videoconference field. The Edit videoconference settings dialog box will appear. In it, ensure that the platform, URL, and instructions are as desired. Then click Update.

The instructions will be embedded in the standard appointment invitation template, so there is no need to add a greeting line or a signature. 

For more information about the instruction templates, see: Setting up telehealth appointment invitations.

To designate event types as telehealth event types, go to Setup > Scheduling > Event types and edit those event types. The Maintain event types user privilege is required for this.

For instructions on telehealth-related menu options on calendar events, see: Acting on events: Telehealth videoconferences.

Contact details

In the Create event dialog box, patient contact information is displayed in order of priority. When you hover over the appointment on the scheudler, the same contact details are displayed in the appoinment preview panel in the lower left corner

image-20250829-184121.png

 

Setting notes

Appointment notes, not to be confused with journal entries linked to appointments, are meant to be written ahead of the appointment and to include brief pieces of information relevant either to the provider or the front office staff, about the appointment.

In the Create event dialog box, click in the Notes field to optionally type any appointment notes.

image-20250829-184247.png

 

Appointment notes are displayed in the appointment preview panel at the bottom of the scheduling screen. 

Setting date, time, and duration

  1. To adjust the day of the appointment in the Create event dialog box, do one of the following: 

    • Use the

      icon to select a different date on the calendar.

    • Use the up and down arrows beside the Date field.

    • Type the desired date directly into the Date field.

  2. To adjust the time of the appointment in the Create event dialog box, do one of the following:

    • In the preview panel, use the mouse to drag-and-drop the appointment to the desired start time.

    • Use the up and down arrows beside the Start time field.

    • Type the desired time directly into the Start time field.

  3. To adjust the duration of the appointment in the Create event dialog box, do one of the following:

    • Drag-and-drop the slider bar to the appropriate duration.

    • In the preview panel, use the mouse to drag-and-drop the top or bottom of the appointment to the desired duration.

Setting the appointment for all day

  1. In the Create event dialog box, click the All day check box. This will change the appointment time to 12:00 am - 11:59 pm.

Creating repeating appointments

  1. In the Create event dialog box, click the Repeat check box.

  2. In the Edit repetition details dialog box, enter the repeat pattern details.

  3. Click Save.

     

Reserving resources

  1. In the Resources section of the Create event dialog box, select any resources to book for the appointment. Any resource that is considered ‘Required’ for a particular appointment type will show in bolded lettering

    image-20250829-184402.png

Setting appointment status

  1. In the Create event dialog box, click the Status drop-down menu to select the desired appointment status.

Saving the appointment

  1. Once all required fields in the Create event dialog box are complete, including: Location, Calendar, and Event type, click Create event.

If double-booking is not allowed, and the new appointment conflicts with an existing appointment, the Conflicting event(s) found error message is displayed and the Create event dialog box remains open so the appointment can be edited accordingly.