Configuring the Automated Recalls

See also: Recall Automation

Configuration overview

The broad steps to configure automated recalls are:

• Specify WHEN to contact patients.
• Specify the methods for HOW to contact patients, and which TEMPLATES to use for each method.
• For patients who do not have a preferred method for contacts, specify the preferred ORDER of contact methods (for example, first try SMS, then Email, then posted letter).
• Optionally add custom patient groups if you want specific people to be recalled by means of specific templates (for example, use a teen template for an Under 19s group).

Configuration options - standard or variable defaults

Recall Manager was initially designed with a single default recall service, appointment length and recall interval for recall services.

This default could be customised per patient in the patient file Recalls tab:

From EXACT v12.2 practices have the option to either

• Use these standard default recall values (this remains the default so no further configuration is required), or
• Use variable default recall values - a more flexible solution where the default values vary depending on the patient's age, dentist and payor, and can also be associated with the patient's changing membership in groups.

See Variable Recall Defaults for further information.

To automate recalls

(Requires access rights to recall configuration)

1. Open Recall Manager either from Administration > Manage Recalls... or from a manually-created shortcut on your task bar:

   

2. Click the Configure Recalls button at the bottom right of the Recall Manager screen:

   

3. Click the Automation button in the Recall Parameters screen:

   

   The Recall Automation screen displays:

   

   The purpose of this screen is to specify whom to contact, when, how frequently, and what communications to send (SMS, Email, EasyPost). It only applies to patients who are due for recalls; it does not send to Patients who have booked.

   Start by checking (ticking) the Run Recalls automatically checkbox.

   You can setup multiple sequential custom recall actions. For example:

   • Next Month recalls all those due appointments next month,
   • This Month recalls all those who evaded recall last month, and are due appointments this month,
   • Last Month recalls all those who evaded recall in the first two actions action, and were due appointments last month.
   • 6 Months Ago recalls all those who evaded recall in all of the above actions, and were due an appointment 6 months ago.
   • 12 months ago is not a recall but a notification that the Practice will stop issuing recalls.
4. Specify WHEN:

   Start by selecting when you will contact patients based on when their recalls become due.

   The above screenshot displays Contact Points for Next Month, This Month and Last Month. However, you can easily create further Contact Points.

   To create a Contact Point:

   Click the Add Contact Point hyperlink: .

   Complete the details in the Contact Point Detail screen, and then click OK:

   

   You will see a Select Contact Methods screen, for adding methods to the Contact Point (how EXACT will contact a patient):

   

5. Specify HOW:

   Click a Contact Method on the left and click the >> button. For example, SMS:

   

   A Select Templates screen immediately displays, from which you can specify which templates to send for single patient or for family:

   

   (In the above example we are working with the default All Patients group, for which we will be adding templates. However, what if you want to use different templates for some people within that grouping? Or what if you want to use a custom template per Provider?
   In this case you need to Add patient groups, and specify the particular templates per group. When EXACT then sends recalls it will first try the custom group before trying the All Patients group. See also: Using multiple custom templates (adding Patient groups))

   Specify templates for the Contact Method:

   Any dropdown option that you leave blank will simply be ignored by EXACT.

   As you highlight a dropdown, a selector appears next to it:

   

   You then have the option to select a template from the dropdown menu or by clicking the selector and opening the View Templates window:

   or

   Select appropriate templates, until you have identified the templates that you require (leave boxes blank where you do not need templates):

   

   Click OK to return to the Select Contact Methods screen, with your Method now correctly positioned at right:

   

6. Repeat this procedure for further Contact Methods.
7. Check the ordering of your Contact Methods:

   When recalling, EXACT will attempt contacts in the specified order of Contact Methods, unless the Patient has a preference registered in the Patient File, in which case EXACT will use that preferred contact method.

   For a Patient without any registered preference, EXACT will try to contact a patient by means of the first method, and if this fails, it will try the next, and then the next if necessary:

   

To re-order the Automated recall Contact Methods

Select a Method and then use the up/down arrows:

To edit the Automated Recall Contact Method

Select it and then click the Edit button:

- or -

You can also edit by clicking a contact method from the Recall Automation screen: