Editing appointments

You can edit an appointment as needed.

To edit an appointment

1. On the Calendar page, clicktap an appointment.

   The Appointment Information panel displays.

   

   Tips:

   • To open the Overview page of the patient's record, from the Appointment Information panel, clicktap the patient's name. However, be aware that any changes to the appointment information will be lost.

   • To view, add, or edit the patient's contact information, preferred contact method, and primary contact, from the Appointment Information panel, clicktap the Contact Info tab.

   • To view the appointment information for other members of the patient's household who have appointments scheduled on the same day as this appointment, from the Appointment Information panel, clicktap the Related Appts tab.

   • To view, add, edit, or delete the patient's medical alerts, from the Appointment Information panel, clicktap the Medical Alerts tab. If the patient has an medical alerts, a medical alert icon displays on the appointment.

   • To open the patient's clinical chart, ledger, or treatment plans, clicktap Chart, Ledger, or Tx Planner below the patient's name on the Appointment Information panel.

     

2. Modify the Appointment tab fields as necessary:

   • Status - If needed, select a different status. The corresponding status icon displays on the appointment.

     Example: Unconfirmed icon.

     Note: By default, all new appointments are set to Unconfirmed.

   • ASAP - Select the check box if the patient wants to be contacted if an earlier date or time becomes available. If selected, the patient displays on the ASAP List and an ASAP icon displays on the appointment.

   • Needs Follow-up - Select the check box if any procedures for this appointment require you to follow up with the patient after their visit. If selected, the patient displays on the Patient Follow-up list after their appointment.

   • Pre-medicate - Scheduling an appointment for a patient with an active “Pre-medicate need” medical alert in his or her record, the Pre-medicate checkbox for the appointment is selected automatically.

   • Procedure(s) - Complete the following as necessary:

     • To add treatment-planner procedures from the patient's file, clicktap Add Tx Planner to open the Attach Treatment Plan window and select the appropriate procedures.

       

       Important: If a treatment plan has not yet been set to Pending Patient Consent or Accepted status, the plan and the associated procedures do not display.

       If you select a procedure that is associated with a recare type, that recare type is attached to this patient's appointment. On the Appointment Information panel, it displays with a green stripe.

       

     • To add procedures that are not in the patient's file, enter the name, code, or description of a procedure in the Procedure search and select from the search results.

       

       Repeat to add multiple procedures.

       Important: When you use this method to add procedure(s) and create the appointment, the following occurs: the procedure provider is set as the appointment provider, the procedure date is set to the current date, the standard charges for the procedures is applied, the procedure's note field displays the "Automatically generated by [name of procider] who created or modified the appointment" message, the procedure(s) display on the appointment as if it was added through the treatment planner, and it displays on the patient's treatment planner and progress notes.

       Note: This method is meant for basic procedures and other procedures that does not require a specific treatment area.

     Tip: To remove a procedure from the appointment, clicktap the icon.

   • Other - Enter a reason other than the selected procedures for the appointment.

   • Operatory - Select an operatory from the list or clicktap and hold, then drag the appointment to a different operatory.

     Note: If you selected a time slot in Step 2 while viewing by operatory, an operatory is selected by default.

   • Appointment Provider - Select an appointment provider from the list or clicktap and hold, then drag the appointment to the column of a different provider.

     Note: If you selected a time slot in Step 2 while viewing by provider, a provider is selected by default.

     If you need to add a secondary provider for the appointment, such as a hygienist, you can clicktap the icon to display the Additional Provider field and select a secondary provider from the list. A colored box (determined by the provider color assigned to this provider) displays on the appointment.

     Tip: To remove the Additional Provider field, clicktap the icon.

   Note: If your organization has multiple locations, a provider is only available for selection if they have rights to the current location. The exception to this is when a provider is associated with the appointment and no longer has access to the current location; that provider is available in the list unless you select a different provider and save the change.

   • Attending Provider - Select a faculty member from the list that will be associated with and supervising the appointment.

     Note: If your organization has multiple locations, a faculty member is only available for selection if they have rights to the current location. The exception to this is when a provider is associated with the appointment and no longer has access to the current location; that provider is available in the list unless you select a different provider and save the change.

   • Date - ClickTap the field to select a different date or clicktap and hold, then drag the appointment to a different date.

   • Time - ClickTap the field, and enter a time or clicktap and hold, then drag the appointment to a different time.

     Tip: You can enter a time using various formats.

     Examples: 08:30, 8:30a, or 8:30 AM; 8a or 8am.

   • Length - The length of the appointment is determined by the selected procedures or the specified time range, but you can change the length as needed. The end time of the appointment changes accordingly.

   • Note - Enter a note relevant to the appointment. To insert the current date where the text cursor is positioned in the field, clicktap Insert Date. If there is an appointment note, a Note icon displays on the appointment.

3. Review and modify the Contact Info tab fields if necessary to change the patient's contact information, and contact preferences.

   Note: Any changes that you save from the appointment are also reflected in the patient's record.

   

   • Address, City, State, ZIP Code - Enter the patient's address details.

   • Phone Type, Phone Number, Ext - Enter the patient's phone details.

     Tip: To copy the primary contact's phone number to the patient, clicktap the Copy Up icon. To copy the patient's phone number to the primary contact, clicktap the Copy Down icon.

   • Email - Enter the patient's email address.

   • Preferred Contact Method - Select the Call me, Text me, or Email me radio button.

   • Primary Contact Information - You can change the patient's primary contact.

     1. ClickTap the icon, enter the contact's name, and select the appropriate name from the list of matching results or select Switch to "Self" to make the patient their own primary contact.

        

     2. Enter the patient's email address.

4. ClickTap the Related Appt tab to review any appointment information for other members of the patient's household with appointments scheduled on the same day as this appointment.

   Tip: If any are scheduled, a number displays next to the tab name.

   

5. ClickTap the Medical Alerts tab to review and add medical alerts as necessary.

   1. ClickTap Add Medical Alert to display the Add Medical Alert for window.

      

   2. In the Medical Alert field, enter the alert, and clicktap Add.

6. ClickTap Save.

   Note: When you edit the time, operatory, and/or appointment provider of an appointment that is not yours and is scheduled to be within the next 2 hours, Ascend Academic displays a notification to the appointment provider to inform them of the change. Depending on the modification, one of the following notifications display:

   • Appointment Reminder - Displays when you create an appointment that is scheduled within the next 2 hours, modify an appointment that is outside the 2-hour time frame to within the next 2 hours, or modify an appointment within the 2-hour time frame to another time within the time frame.

   • Re-scheduled Appointment - Displays when you edit the date and/or time of an appointment that is originally scheduled within the next 2 hours outside the 2-hour time frame.

   • Operatory Change - Displays when you only edit the operatory of an appointment scheduled within the next 2 hours.

   • Provider Change - Displays when you only edit the appointment provider of an appointment scheduled within the next 2 hours.

   If you update an appointment's date and/or time and the operatory or provider, depending on the scenario, only the Appointment Reminder or the Re-scheduled Appointment notification display.