How do I create a new recall automation workflow?
📝 Please note: This article is a step-by-step guide on creating a recall workflow. First, you will need to enable recall automation - read our detailed guide on doing so here.
To send recalls manually, you will need to:
Ensure recalls are enabled.
Ensure recall automation is turned on - we recommend waiting one week after turning on automation before beginning to set up automation workflows, to allow overdue appointments to catch-up.
Make sure your appointment reasons are set up correctly.
Ensure patient details are being recorded accurately by reception staff or through Dentally Portal.
Set up your 'Recalls' report by applying the filters you need.
Ensure practitioners are setting a recall interval for each patient at the end of every appointment (by updating their recall intervals in the patient record or when charting a course of treatment).
💡 Top tip: It is also possible to duplicate an existing workflow! This feature is currently in Beta testing, and allows you to copy the stages of the existing workflow, while customising other details as needed. This will save you time and making creating recall workflows easier.
Then you'll be ready to start creating recall automation workflows.
To create a new automation workflow:
In Dentally, go to 'Reports' and click on the 'Recalls' report.
In the top right corner, click on the 'Workflows' button.
Here you will see all your current workflows which you can manage if needed.
To create a new one, click '+ New workflow' in the top right corner.
In the window that opens, you will be able to customise the workflow details and multi-select various options including recall type, payment plan/fee schedule and practitioner.
Ensure you add the workflow name - this will help you to distinguish different workflows eg 'Hygienist Private Recalls'.
Next you will need to set up the workflow details. Complete the following fields:
'Location' - Set the site location (for multi-site practices only).
'Recall Type' - Choose from dentist, hygienist or combined.
'Payment Plan' - Choose from your available payment plans. Also referred to as 'Fee Schedule' in some regions.
'Practitioner' - Choose from your active practitioners.
'Active?' - This section allows you to toggle whether the workflow is active. This field cannot be edited until you have added at least one stage in the workflow.
💡 Top tip: You can create a single workflow for multiple practitioners, payment plans/fee schedules and recall types (exam, hygiene and both)! As long as you want the stages of the workflow to be the same, you can multi-select as many recall types, payment plans/fee schedules and practitioners as you like for a single workflow, when editing both new and existing workflows.
When you have completed the fields, click 'Create Workflow'.
You will be able to see the workflow's 'Recall Creation', which is based on the timeframe you have set up in the recall settings. This is when a recall will be created for a patient, and all subsequent stages of the workflow will follow on from this point.
You then need to start adding stages to your workflow, so that you can set it live.
How do I add stages to a recall workflow?
Once you have created a workflow, you will need to fill in the details of the first stage - in order to be active, a workflow must have at least one stage. The number of patients that will be triggered by this stage is shown by the number and icon to the right of the stage.
Complete the following fields:
Interval - The amount of time between the 'Recall Creation' and the first action. You can choose from 'Same day as last action' up to '12 months since last action'.
Use Patients Recall Preference? - If you choose 'Yes', it will only send via the patient's recall method preference. If you choose 'No', it will send via your chosen communication method.
1st Template - Select the type of communication and choose the template from your pre-made correspondence templates. This will be attempted first, and if it is not successful, 2nd template will be used.
2nd Template - Select the type of communication and choose the template from your pre-made correspondence templates. This will be attempted if 1st template has failed. If both templates fail for a patient, they will not receive that communication.
When you have finished, click 'Save'. This stage of the recall workflow will now be saved.
You will now see a summary of that stage, based on what you chose. It will note how and when the recall workflow is sending, as well as the number of patients included (which will be at 0 until the recall workflow is active). Here is an example:
To add another stage, click 'New Stage' and follow the steps above. Ensure you click 'Save' after each new stage you create.
To delete an existing stage in the workflow, click 'Edit' and then select 'Delete'.
When you have added all the stages you need, set the workflow to 'Active' by going back to the workflow details at the top, clicking 'Edit' and then ticking the checkbox next to the 'Active?' header. All workflows will be set to inactive by default.
📝 Please note: You can return to the workflows page at any point by clicking the 'Workflows' button in the top right corner, but any progress in your new workflow that hasn't been saved will be lost.
Our best practice setup is proven to boost recall effectiveness whilst saving you time across the practice! The templates we recommend should already be populated in Dentally for you (if you can't see them, reach out to Support). Our recommended recall workflow looks like this:
Stage | Use Patient's Recall Preference | 1st Template | 2nd Template | 3rd Template |
Same day as last action | No | SMS: Recall 1 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Due | Email: Recall 1 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Due | Letter: Recall 1 Dentist &/or Hygienist Due |
4 weeks after last action | No | Email: Recall 1 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Due | SMS: Recall 1 - Dentsit &/or Hygienist Due |
|
4 weeks after last action | No | Letter: Recall 2 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Overdue | SMS: Recall 2 - Dentsit &/or Hygienist Overdue |
|
6 months after last action | No | Email: Recall 2 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Overdue |
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6 months after last action | No | SMS: Recall 2 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Overdue | Email: Recall 2 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Overdue | Letter: Recall 2 Dentist &/or Hygienist Overdue |
12 months after last action | No | Email: Recall 3 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Very Overdue | Letter: Recall 3 Dentist &/or Hygienist Very Overdue |
|
12 months after last action | No | Email: Recall 3 - Dentist &/or Hygienist Very Overdue |
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💡 Top tip: Encourage your patients to pre-book their next routine appointment following completion of treatment, to minimise the requirement for recalls and reduce recall communication costs.