This is a feature that Updox removed do to request by some users. They said some customers stated it was confusing. There was a box that you checked if you wanted the system to automatically send a confirmation email.
I am actually quite flabbergasted that anyone would say that. The standard is, whenever you do something online (purchase, schedule, etc) you receive a confirmation email. Heck, AppointmentQuest actually allows you to have the system send an Acknowledgement AND a Confirmatiion (Acknowledgements are for customers who schedule their own appointments so they know the request for appointment was received. The appointment would still need to be confirmed by staff if you wish).
The only way to get that back in will be if enough users complain about it not be available. I'd suggest sending the request directly to Updox. Just click on the Help button in Updox and send in the suggested improvement.
My other two issues with the scheduler are 1) that we use online scheduling for new patients. Yes, it can be done if you are careful. But Updox won't let them schedule the appointment without having a portal account. I'd like them to be able to schedule, and send us their demogrpahics, but not have the account until they have had their first visit. They said this would be a major change, so I do hope other people would like to do this and tell them so. It would be better that Zocdoc.
2)Currently, an internal user can make an appointment for any time, regardless of the appointment rules. That means that your medical assistant can mistakenly schedule that H&P for Saturday at 8PM. I would like to have the internal users have to follow all scheduling rules, but have the presence of an Administrative Override Button to allow an administrator the break the rules and schedule whenever they wish. Other scheduling systems do this.
