An interesting aspect of To-Dos is that in certain areas of the software, you have the option to configure them as Automated To-Dos, commonly referred to as "Spotlight" To-Dos. There are various locations within the software where you can set these up, and I will provide a detailed review to assist you in maximizing the effectiveness of Automated To-Dos for your practice. It is best to have some knowledge of To-Do's so begin by reading this article: How to Utilize To Do's for Employee Reminders.
Appointment Types
The first place in the software to automate To-Do items will be found under Edit > Setup > Appointment Types. Begin by searching for the specific appointment type to which you wish to add the automated To-Do in the search bar located in the upper right corner. Once you locate the relevant appointment type, check the corresponding box and click on the edit option. You will then notice a section on the right-hand side of the appointment details, where you can add an automated To-Do.
To add a To Do Type, click the blue plus icon. You'll be taken to a screen to complete various fields for the To Do assignment. Start with 'To Do Type' to select the type of To do. The next field, 'Employee,' allows you to choose a specific employee or select an employee type. I will select treatment coordinator.
The 'Appointment Status' field is crucial as it determines when the To Do is created and assigned. For this example, I'll choose dismissed, so the Automated To Do will generate when the appointment is dismissed.
Next, fill out the 'Text' field with a task description or "Employee Reminder." Then select the days until the due date, which I'll set to three days. An optional field allows specifying a number of days before or after the due date to display the To Do in the employee's list.
Select 'Document' if a letter is required; I've chosen the contract letter. Since a letter is being sent, specify the recipient in the 'Recipient' field; for this example, it's the Financially Responsible party.
There is also an option to 'Select Recipient Upon Creation,' which will prompt you to designate the specific employee recipient of the To-Do at the time of creation. This is how my example Automated To Do appears just before I hit save.
Once I have scheduled and subsequently dismissed an appointment for a patient, a prompt will appear that enables me to assign the To Do if the selected employee is unavailable or if I only specified an employee type, allowing me to save the To Do for future reference. Saving the To Do for later will result in it appearing in the selected employee's To Do List under View > To Do's, as well as within the patient menu under To Do's.
An important aspect to consider regarding Automated or Spotlight To-Do items set up in this manner is that these automated tasks are designed to be completed prior to any change in a patient's status. For this reason, it is crucial to maintain a balance in Edit > Setup > Appointment Types regarding whether to initiate a change in patient status or to set a To-Do for the appointment. It may also be beneficial to delay changing a patient's status until all pending Automated To-Do items for that patient have been completed. Please note that if a patient's status is altered before an automated To-Do is completed, that To-Do will no longer be visible for that patient. This is the intended functionality.
Patient Statuses
Another area where you can add an automated To-Do in Cloud 9 Software is under Edit > Setup > Patient Statuses. Here, you will select the patient status you wish to associate with the To-Do, click "Edit," and use the blue plus icon to add the To-Do. After clicking the blue plus, a screen will appear that closely resembles the previous screen we mentioned for an automated appointment type To-Do.
You will begin with the 'To-Do Type' field to select the type of To Do. The following field, 'Employee,' allows you to choose a specific employee or an employee assignment type in the field just below it. Next, please complete the 'Text' field with a task description or the "Employee Reminder." Then, select the number of days until the due date, with the optional feature to display a To-Do before or after the due date for a specified number of days.
If a letter is required, please select 'Document,' followed by the recipient type. There is also an option to 'Select Recipient Upon Creation,' which will prompt you to designate the specific employee recipient of the To-Do at the time of creation. Finally, the last field pertains to the patient status upon completion, which will change the patient's status to the selected status once the To-Do has been marked completed.
It is essential to keep in mind that Automated or Spotlight To-Do items set up in this manner are intended to be addressed prior to any change in a patient's status. For this reason, please ensure that no employee manually alters the patient status before the completion of the Automated To-Do created here, as doing so will prevent the Automated To-Do from appearing for that patient and the assigned employee. Also, please note that the patient status will automatically change to the selected status once the To-Do is marked as complete.
Questionnaires
The last place to set up an automated To Do for the patient portal is found in Edit > Setup > Questionnaires. This option is not necessary for clients using a comprehensive forms package from Cloud 9 Signature powered by Ortholync or integrated vendors like Weave. For those without our forms package or forms from an integrated vendor, it serves as a workaround. While less comprehensive than having separate forms, it allows you to create a questionnaire with questions and answers in Edit > Setup > Questionnaires, which can then be displayed on the patient portal for an established patient or responsible party. To do this, first, create the Questionnaire in Edit > Setup > Questionnaires, making sure to select 'Show on Patient Portal.'
(*Please note: Any questionnaires you mark as Show on Patient Portal will be visible to all patients upon logging into their patient portal account.)
Next, go to the 'Patient Portal To Do's' section under Edit > Setup > Questionnaires and complete the simpler form shown in a screenshot below to establish an automated To Do. Here, you can select the To Do category, assign an employee, and input details for the action or reminder triggered by the patient's completed questionnaire in the portal.
Once the patient or responsible party completes the Questionnaire in the patient portal, a To Do will be created and assigned to the designated employee in the Patient Portal To Do Setup under Edit > Setup > Questionnaires. This allows established patients with portal access to fill out the questionnaire, automatically generating a spotlight or automated To Do for the assigned employee in their To Do list.
Conclusion
As indicated in this article, there are various sections in Cloud 9 where you can establish and utilize Automated or Spotlight To-Dos. Please remember that these To-Dos must be completed prior to any changes in a patient's status to ensure that the patient's To Do remains on the employee list. For Automated To-Dos associated with patient statuses, the patient's status will change once the To-Do is marked as complete. Lastly, while our clients with a comprehensive forms package may not find the patient portal To-Do linked to questionnaires essential, it can be beneficial for certain practices.
As always, if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Cloud 9 Support by emailing us at cloud9support@planetdds.com, or chatting us online using the chat bubble on the lower right at https://cloud9support.planetdds.com/hc/en-us, or giving us a call during our business hours of 8:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST at the 1.800.394.6050 option 2.