Home Forums Online Scheduling with Updox

Just got my online scheduling with Updox working today!!! Once I figured out the connector had to be on the same computer as the AC database, and I pointed Updox to the database (which confused me for quite a while), it is working like a charm. And it will automatically send out email reminders!!! I am very excited!!!

David Lee, MD
IM
Dallas, TX

uh oh. Sounds like I"m about to send Updox more money. And sounds like curtains for AppointmentQuest.

David, is your schedule Public, or only Private. Can we see it?( it will need to be public for that).

WHAT!!! UPDOX WILL SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT AND SEND OUT REMINDERS!!!!

DrLee please explain!!!

That is amazing!!

I've seen a demo of the their new online scheduling system. I was hoping David would give a link to his portal sight so I could see how he's implemented it (I promise I wont save an appointment.)

This could be really wonderful. But, I'd appreciate some opinions regarding concerns.

We have different appointment time slots for different kinds of problems. Our practice is pretty much all chronic medicine, few acute visits. Annual or comprehensive exams get an hour, routine visits half an hour, stress tests an hour, and so on. We refill prescriptions for most drugs for a year at a time, to coincide with the need for an annual exam. Often it seems a patient will call saying they "just need their prescriptions refilled", when that actually translates into an hour slot. I am concerned if we let patients schedule their own appointments, we will start getting brief appointment slots for what needs to be a comprehensive exam, and so on. How do others make this work without creating a ball of worms?

You should see the demo. I think this can be accommodated. You'd need to set the time for the type of appointment. I'm planning on trying to have another demo from Sean to check on a few details. We already do this with AppointmentQuest (Physical are 1 hour, "Sick" visits 20 minutes.) But I really need to see the system in action to be sure.

I still need to look at the demo...how much does this cost?

Just send an email to info@updox.com with the title "please send seminar recording." and they will send you a link to the demo. oh, this is an add-on to the basic updox service.

OK, so I checked the box to create a portal account for all patients with an email address. Mistake. Now patients are verifying their information, but because of character length problems, it is not being accepted, and I have 600+ error messages in Updox. So I'll get back to you once I get this figured out.

David Lee, MD
IM
Dallas, TX

Hmmmmm. I didnt have that problem. I havent received any errors on this at all.

Hi Dr. Lee, I'm working on this right now. We have had some instances where patients enter more data than fits in AC (and the associated plethora of error messages in Updox). We've been handling them as they come up, but I'm working on a more complete solution now.

I'm hoping to have this solved for good later this evening. Once it is, your patient updates will flow into AC. Also, I will remove all of the error messages from your Updox inbox.

I do apologize for the rough transition as we start to see this functionality in actual use. Hang in there, we'll get it nailed down soon.

Thanks so much for your prompt response. The president of Updox emailed me even. I'm sure just a small snag, but I still love the new features! While you're looking, it didn't appear that the "Broadcast Message" or appointment reminders were working. Could you take a look at that too. Thanks again.

David Lee, MD
IM
Dallas, TX

Updox is incredible!!! The level of customer service is unparalleled. I think they were up all night working on an update, which now works great. The scheduling issue was a user error on my part. Now it is working great, and the reminders are suppose to go live later today. Thanks again Updox!

David Lee, MD
IM
Dallas, TX

The name of the doctor in updox online scheduling is the user name of the doctor in Amazing Charts database.

Per Amazing charts only the first name of the doctor is the user name. The only way for the user name in Amazing charts to be both first and last names is to put both the names in the first name Field of AC in admin/user name edit for the doctor and come up with some innovative names like internist/MACP etc in the field where the degree goes.

This is a drawback with current version of updox online scheduling.

In my opionion updox should take both first and last names of AC database for the doctor and not the user name so- it will show properly on updox scheduling when pts log in.

Hope updox will change this.

Hi Joseph, you can actually already do this.

If you go to Schedule configuration, you can find the calendar you want to rename and just enter a new name. We continue to use the provider's AC username as the key when communicating with AC, but you'll see the new name in Updox and in the patient portal. (there is a small paragraph there explaining this)

Technical discussion: AC does not have the concept of calendars, only providers. When we sync appointments over from AC, we create a calendar for each provider that has appointments. We default the name of that calendar to the provider's AC username, but as I stated above, you can change that name. We will still use the username to sync with AC but you (and your patients) don't have to look at it everyday.

Hope that helps.

I can confirm this is correct. I show up as "David" in AC, but I show up as "Dr. David Lee" in the Updox scheduler. You can't however change the appointment descriptions (found that out today). Not a problem however. Just name them what you want patients to see. And you can select the ones you want them to be able to view or not.

David Lee, MD
IM
Dallas, tX

Actually, that's not correct, you can rename the appointment types in Updox (just like the calendars). Try it!

I did, and although it will allow you to create new appointment types, this caused it to not sync with AC. It really is not an issue though.

David Lee, MD
IM
Dallas, TX

Ok, sure. So if you want appointments to sync back into AC, you have to use the appointment types that came from AC. You can rename "F/U" to "Followup", but you'll still need to start with the F/U type that came from AC. If you want new appointment types, you'll need to create them in AC and schedule at least appointment so it comes across to us.

Ok, so I just activated this feature. I put in a few appointment slots. Then I went to schedule a patient in them.

Hmmm. Alright. I can't figure out how to schedule the patient!!

In Updox? Open up the schedule and you can click and drag on the time slot you want the appointment for. The dragging is important, if you just click, we don't trigger the new appointment dialog. You don't have to drag far, just a couple of pixels, but we that found that without the dragging motion, it was too easy to accidentally click and bring up the dialog. If it annoys us during development, it's definitely going to annoy you during everyday use.

Ok, got it. Thanks Tobin Oh, I've started getting a red error message when i start UD. It goes away, but I think it says error in line 419 etc etc etc.