Home Forums Discussions Problems Check in Procedures, V8

I am still playing with the new Check In feature of AC V8, since I just upgraded. I understand the need to codify insurance for MU and PM. However, unless I'm missing something, AC still doesn't have this right. Using NueMD HMR as an example, when you check them in it should color code them as "arrived" and start a timer. When they are roomed, the nurse should be able to change the color to alert the doctor to see them, and another timer should start. NueMD and other HMR's allow you to see: time in waiting room, time in exam room, and time being seen from when the doc opens the chart. Very nice and useful for billing on time value!

As far as I can see, AC still doesn't have the basic ability to color code the visits on the schedule! My receptionist has to have a whole duplicate set of visit type, for instance Wellness Visit and Wellness Arrived, so she can alert the practice of arrivals. Am I missing this functionality with V8, or is it still lacking?

You must have upgraded from the 6 series. Check in has been around since the 7's.

My staff looked at it and never used it, so I can't really help you there.
No, you can't color code, unless you use ACPM. Even then I'm not sure about timer setting.

One of the problems with AC is that it does not use RTF (rich text format) this would allow coloring and bolding.

I have been told this would take a significant rewrite of the code, since it was never coded in RTF. Thus this is on the wish list but not likely to be a top priority or quick fix.

That just doesn't make sense to me. We have color coded messages in our inbox. How hard is it to color code appointments? Even if there was some other way to mark them as arrived... something as simple as a graphic or text character would be better than what we have now. I hope more people will weigh in on what they do for this procedure.

Are you using ACPM & AC or just AC. I know how to change the color in the ACPM. It took some adjusting but to do it in ACPM.
Go to Admin-->Appointment Scheduling-->Appointment Display Table Management-->You have to tab to cycle through the changes [img:gal:331756142846cc48e]http://amazingcharts.com/ub/attachments/usergals/2015/10/full-3317-770-change_the_background.pdf[/img]

I am using AC, but not the separate paid module for PM.

I was pleased to talk with folks over at AC Product Support today. Apparently there are no plans to code in the functionality I discussed. They are pushing this as a feature of PM. Further, it sounds like the upgrades in the next few years may be focused on bug fixes as they try to move to a web based program for everyone. I certainly understand the advantages for them, which are huge both from a product support perspective and a financial one, but I will not like that. To me, it's like selling your house and going back to renting.

Incidentally, I read that the Millennials are very comfortable renting (apartments, cars, software, movies) and put little value on owning a product. We always bought cars, CD/cassette/vinyl, homes, and generally acquired goods. They are happy not owning a car - renting for a weekend, renting music through the internet, and so on. Interesting change in our society. I see all computer programs going to this, from word processing, Light Room and Photoshop, Quickbooks, and many other examples. Granted, I do get tired of upgrading all the time.

Okay, end of Tangential monologue

We share your frustration with this. It is very difficult to get a streamlined work flow in the office because of the way AC is set up. I wish there was SOME way to find out when the patient has arrived, how long they have been waiting, who the doctor is supposed to see first.

I am wondering how other offices do this....

The time the chart is completed is the last time they were "touched" by another person in the office. So you have an inkling of how long they have been waiting, because that time is on the chart in the inbox.

Since I am a solo doc, I usually know how many people are in the waiting room, so I can gauge how long they have been waiting.

The first chart in my inbox not touched by me is usually the next person to be seen. I complete most of my charts in the room, so I know the charts I have left hanging. Thus I also know how many I have waiting, (mostly, unless I am faster than the MAs)

I know this is not the answer you are looking for, but it's how we've done it for the last 14 years. It works for me.

Sure, it would be nice to have colors and more time parameters, but there are other things I personally would put on my wish list higher than that.

Going back to Chris' comment about focusing on bug fixes, many of them were put off as they chased the Meaningless Uselessness tail. So there were a lot of things that were put on hold. Much of the new things in the later version 8 and version 9 are a response to issues that have been festering for years. While Pri-Med is working on a web based program (Inlight) I can tell you they have devoted more resources to AC than it has had in the past and the co-development of that product has done great things for AC (like the intelligent ICD 10 search engine.) There are some people who may want web based, but there are many who do not. AC is aware of this. That is why they are working on 2 different products.