1. Click the gear icon
2. Click "Appointment Types"
3. Click "+ Appointment Type"
4. Name this appointment type
5. It is not necessary to create appointment types based on the payer (medicare, BCBS, UHC, etc..) or to denote a progress note. There are other (better) mechanisms to display this information.
6. Select Color
Duration
7. Set Duration in term of Minutes
Understanding Duration
Definition: Duration refers to the total time a patient will be present at the clinic for their appointment, regardless of how the time is divided among providers.
Purpose of Duration
Documented Visit Time: To streamline documentation this duration will assist to populate the start and end time on clinical notes.
Clarity for Patients: Duration ensures patients know how long their appointment will last, which is particularly for customer using online scheduling.
Default Paperwork
8. Select default paperwork to be associate to this appointment type
Purpose of Default Paperwork
Automation for Appointment Types: Default paperwork is pre-assigned to specific appointment types, ensuring the appropriate forms are automatically sent to patients.
Example: For a new patient or evaluation appointment, the system should automatically send new patient paperwork.
How It Works
Manual Scheduling: When staff schedules an appointment (e.g., selecting a "new patient Evaluation" appointment), the corresponding paperwork is auto-populated. Staff can modify this if needed.
Online Scheduling: For practices with online scheduling enabled:
Patients scheduling appointments independently (e.g., at 10 p.m.) will automatically receive the correct forms.
Ensures all required paperwork is sent without staff intervention.
Benefits
Efficiency for Staff: Reduces the chances of forgetting to send necessary forms.
Improved Patient Experience: Ensures patients receive the correct paperwork for their appointment type, streamlining the intake process.
Start Time Increments
9. Set Start Time Increments
What Are Start Time Increments?
Start time increments determine the intervals at which appointments are scheduled for online booking.
Example: Appointments can be set to start every hour (e.g., 1:00, 2:00) or at shorter intervals like every 30 minutes (e.g., 1:00, 1:30).
10. Set as "Active" appointment
Self Pay Rate
11. Set a self pay dollar amount
What is the Self-Pay Rate?
Definition: The self-pay rate is the pre-set amount charged to patients who opt to pay out-of-pocket rather than using insurance.
Purpose: Automates adjustments to simplify billing for patients without insurance and streamlines workflows for billers.
How It Works
Setting the Rate: Example:
For a new patient evaluation, the self-pay rate is set to $175.
Automatic Adjustment: The system applies the self-pay rate automatically:
Total charges (e.g., $310) are discounted and adjusted in real-time to match the self-pay rate.
This prevents the need for manual manipulation by the biller.
Benefits
Efficiency for Billers: Eliminates the need for billers to manually discount or adjust charges on invoices.
Real-Time Discounting: Discounts are applied instantly, reducing the risk of errors and saving time.
Hybrid Billing: Especially useful for practices handling both self-pay and insurance patients.
12. Click Save
What is a Split Appointment?
Split appointments allow for scheduling scenarios where the main (supervising) provider is not engaged for the entire duration of the appointment.
Example: A 60-minute session where the provider spends only 30 minutes actively with the patient, while the other 30 minutes are designated as "open time."
How Split Appointments Work
Hands-On Time: The provider’s active time with the patient during the session (e.g., the first or last 30 minutes).
Open Time: The remaining time in the appointment when the provider is free to attend to other tasks or patients.
Configuring a Split Appointment
Enable Split Appointment: Turn on the split appointment option in the system.
Set Hands-On Time: Define how much time the provider will spend actively with the patient (e.g., 10 minutes, 30 minutes).
Assign Open Time: Specify the remaining time as open for other activities or patients.
Benefits
Efficient Scheduling: The provider's availability is reflected accurately in the calendar, maximizing productivity.
Related: Learn how to block availability using internal appointment types.