💡 Top tip: This article explains how to update an appointment status - to learn more about what each appointment status means, read our helpful guide here.
How is a patient's appointment status updated?
When a patient's appointment is booked, it will usually have the 'Pending' status (unless a different status was selected when booking). The appointment status might be changed automatically through certain processes (such as when a patient replies to an automated confirmation SMS), or it can be done manually.
To change a patient's appointment status manually, you can choose from two methods:
Option 1: Click the 'P' ('Pending') icon on the appointment. Every time you click it, it will change to the next stage of the patient's journey (so clicking once would change it to 'Confirmed' ('C'), clicking again would change it to 'Arrived', and so on.
Option 2: Right click on the appointment and choose the relevant option from the dropdown menu. The option shown will be whatever the next stage is in the patient journey - so if the patient is 'Pending', the 'Confirmed' option will be visible, and if the patient is 'Arrived', the 'In surgery' option will be shown, and so on. You can also use this method to cancel an appointment or mark that the patient did not attend.
Option 3: Update the appointment status in the patient's record. Go to the 'Appointments' tab, and in the 'Booked Appointments' section, use the status dropdown on the right-hand side to update the status. You can also use this method to cancel an appointment or mark that the patient did not attend.
How do I mark a patient's appointment as complete?
Once you have finished the appointment, make sure to show the appointment is complete by updating the status, and charge through anything that needs to be paid on the day.
The reception team will be able to see a tick against the appointment in the calendar once the appointment has been completed.
🚨 Important to remember: It is vital that each stage is updated to ensure a smooth experience for patients and accurate reporting for the practice later down the line.