Appointments Feature

The Appointments feature allows users to view appointment lists and make calls, videos calls, send SMS messages and photo requests directly from the appointments list

Users can switch seamlessly between records and even SMS/message all patients within an appointment list, which can be used as a reminder that patients will shortly be contacted

This guide will take you through all of the actions within Appointments

What are you looking for?

Accessing Appointments Features

Click the Appointments icon on the Phonebar

The Appointment window will display

EMIS and SystmOne have slightly different views as SystmOne offers more filters

Use the filters to select the appointment list you wish to view from the left hand drop down menu

EMIS - You can select a session date up to 90 days from today

SystmOne - You can select previous appointment lists and search ahead up to 15 months

When you have made your selections Click REFRESH

The appointment list will load and you will see the Patient details listed

NOTE: If a feature is 'greyed' out, this means it is unavailable

This could be because there is no mobile number or email address attached to that patient record, or because you are trying to make a video call while using your deskphone as a call device, for example

Appointments explained

There are a few differences between the features of the EMIS and SystmOne Appointments window

EMIS

Actioned Keep track of who you have contacted by marking the patient as actioned
Time Appointment time Can be set ascending or descending
Patient Patient Name Click to open the patient record
Date of birth Patient's date of birth
Contact options Quick access to all contact options for the patient If a feature is 'greyed' out, this means it is unavailable

SystmOne

Actioned Keep track of who you have contacted by marking the patient as actioned
Status Appointment Status		Arrived Booked Did Not Attend Finished In Progress No Visit Access Patient Walked Out Waiting
Information Allows you to view patient notes and if necessary copy an alternative number
Time Appointment time Can be set ascending or descending
Patient Patient Name Click to open the patient record
Date of birth Patient's date of birth
CONTACT Click on the CONTACT button to access the patient contact options If a feature is 'greyed' out, this means it is unavailable

Selecting/switching Patient Records

You can easily swap between patient records in your selected appointment list

Click on the patient name in the appointment list

You will see the patient record change in your clinical system

Make a voice call using your selected call device

With the Appointments window open, hover over the call icon to the right hand side of the patient details

You can click on the number in the list or type an alternative number into the Enter phone number box and then click the call icon

Or, you can click the call icon and it will dial the preferred number of that patient

Call Device Connection

Once you have clicked on the call icon it will connect to your selected Call Device

Softphone - the call will initiate once you have clicked the call icon

Deskphone - it will start ringing, to initiate the outbound call, pick up your desk phone

Mobile Device - it will start ringing, to connect the call, pick up your phone

Once the patient answers the in call features will appear in the Phonebar - softphone only

See our guide on In Call Features

Send an SMS message

To a patient

With the Appointments window open, click on the SMS icon to the right hand side of the patient details

Or, hover over the SMS icon for the patient number options

You can click on the number in the list or type an alternative number into the box and then click the SMS icon

When you have actioned the SMS request the SMS sending window will open

The box in the centre is empty for you to type an ad-hoc message to the patient, or you can select a message template

To choose an SMS template message or select a particular NHS condition, use the dropdown

You can do any of these in combination with each other

See our guide on SMS templates

Once you are happy with your selection and wording you can choose to file it directly to the patient record by selecting File message

You can also choose to file the message later from the Patient Contact history

Then click SEND

You can reset the message which will clear the text box, click RESET

Or, you can cancel the message completely, which will close the Send SMS message window, click CANCEL

To all patients in your Appointment list

When you open an appointment list you will see an SMS ALL PATIENTS button above and to the right of the list of patients scheduled

Click on the SMS ALL PATIENTS button, an SMS window opens

You can select a template from the drop down menu at the top, type an ad hoc message in the message box or do both

Your Character and SMS count will display

When you click Send the message will be sent to all your patients with a mobile phone number in the list the SMS

You can clear the message which will clear the text box, click Clear

You will receive a notification that your message has been delivered, and any problems with delivery will be highlighted

Send a photo request to patient

To send an photo request either click on the Photo Request icon on the appointments window

By clicking directly on the Photo Request icon the SMS photo request will be sent to the mobile number listed for that patient

Or, hover over the Photo Request icon for the patient, you can click on the number in the list or type an alternative number/email address into the box and then click the Photo Request icon

When you have actioned a photo request the Photo Request (sending window) opens

You can still change the contact number if required, by using the contact method box

The default will be to notify the photo request sender if no alternative name is selected

You can change the recipient, for example if you are requesting it for another clinician

You can also add additional notes to the message body at the bottom of the photo request window

The recipient of the photo request receives guidance notes on acceptable photos and photo quality

See our guide on the Patient Experience

When you are happy with your photo request, click SEND REQUEST

You will receive a confirmation notification when the request has been sent, and either yourself or the named practice recipient will receive a notification when the photos have been sent in

See our full guide on Photo Requests and Photos

NOTE: Surgery Connect will only keep a photo in the patient Contact History for 28 days

Make a video call via your softphone

For Phonebar V6 and above users please follow this guide

You can make a video call from the Appointments window, using the softphone as your call device, and if you are contacting a smart phone or using an patients email

Click on the video call icon, this will automatically select the mobile number associated with the active patient

Once a video call has been launched it will immediately open up a video call window. The meeting invite SMS will be sent automatically to the patient

Before entering a video call you can manage your video call settings by clicking on the Settings (cog) icon. Here you can manage your audio and video settings and apply visual effects

Click Join Meeting to start the video call. Once in the meeting, you can copy the invite link if you need to invite additional participants to the video call

Once the patient clicks on the link and requests to be let into the meeting, the GP will see the patient knocking

Click Let in to start the call or, if you are not ready, type a message in the the respond box asking them to wait

Once you have let the patient join the call they will appear on the screen with you

When you are ready to end the call, click the Leave button. This will end the call for all participants and you will receive a notification to this effect

Access the patient's Contact History

Viewing patient communications

Select the Contact History icon

A window of the Contact History not yet filed for that that patient will appear on your screen

To listen to the call recording click on Play recording

The call recording play bar will open. You can play, pause, skip forwards and backwards and adjust the volume from here

Video calls are not recorded

To view the submitted photograph click on View photo

The photo will open in a new window, you can rotate it and zoom in and out

To view the SMS sent click on Read SMS

The SMS will display on the contact history window

NOTE: Patient communications will stay in the Contact History, associated with that patient for up to 2 months (current month and previous month) if not filed to the patient record in your clinical system, photos will stay in the contact history for 28 days only

Filing patient communications

Currently, filing call recordings as shown in the guide below is NOT AVAILABLE for SystmOne customers

Select the Contact History icon

A window of the Contact History not yet filed for that that patient will appear on your screen

You can use the scroll bar on the right hand side to move up and down the list. Calls, call recordings, messages, photo requests and submitted photos will be listed in date order

Select the communications you would like to file to the Patient Record

When you are happy with your selection click on the FILE TO PATIENT RECORD button

Once you have done this the clinical record will update and you will see all the filed communication history from within the patient record

Marking an appointment as actioned

You can mark an appointment as actioned, so you can keep track of who you have been in contact with during your appointment session

Click on the Actioned button

This will strike through the patients name in the appointments list