Tracking a patient throughout the entire process of their treatment within your office is managed under the Tracking tab, when in the specific patient chart. To access this tab, go to Home > Edit and enter the Patient Name or ID number. When the patient record appears, select the Tracking tab within their chart.
The tracking tab includes numerous fields, many of which can be set up to automatically update at certain points along the course of the patient's treatment journey. After reading through this article, you should be well prepared to set up and manage each field within this tab.
What is Contained within the Tracking Tab?
The following screenshot shows what is contained within the Tracking Tab. This article will cover each and every field in this section.
Entry Date
The entry date field is automatically populated to reflect the date the patient was entered into the Cloud 9 system. Once entered this date should never need changing.
Patient Status
The patient status field shows which patient status the patient is currently in. When initially entered into Cloud 9, they will be in a new status. The name of the status is largely irrelevant, as long as the Code for that status is NEW. The code is what the system uses to determine the status. But as the patient progresses through treatment, this status can be changed or prompted automatically. The Setup to make this automatic is located in Edit > Setup > Appointment Types > Patient Status Changes. The patient status can be set up to change when the appointment is scheduled through when it is dismissed, and the name of the next status the patient should go into can be added. This automates the process of changing a patient's status, for example, when they are dismissed from a Deband appointment, their status can be automatically changed to a Retention status.
Status Start Date
The date entered in this field will always be the date the status of the patient was changed to the status listed in the Patient Status field.
Estimated Months in Status
This field can be filled automatically if the patient status that has been selected has an entry in the default months field. This can be completed by going to Edit > Setup > Patient Status and entering the default months for that status. This default should be an average of months in the status. Information in this field is what drives the colored status bar at the top of the treatment card. This information can be manually adjusted if it is known that this particular patient's time in this status will take longer (or shorter) based upon their specific case.
Estimated Completion Date
This field is automatically calculated by adding the information in the Default Months field to the Status Start Date and arriving at the completion date in that status.
New Patient Exam Date
This field should contain the date that the Patient Completed their New Patient Exam. Setup is required for that New Patient Exam and should be done through Edit > Setup >appointment Types > Tracking.
Notice at the top that your Appointment Type is New Patient Adult, and that the Patient Status changes (when the appointment is dismissed) to the status of New Patient 2023. Also, the field that identifies this type of appointment as a New Patient Exam is listed under the Tracking section.
Case Start Date
The case start date is recorded when the patient's first contract is started. There is only one case start date per patient, no matter how many phases of treatment they undergo.
Panorex Date
This is the date when the last Panorex was acquired. It may be from the patient's treating Dentist, or it may have been taken and imported by your office. Either way, this field will need to be manually updated to display that date.
Progress Date
Entered manually by the office. This is the date determined that the patient would require a progress exam. Once a date is entered, when the patient record is opened, a prompt will be received that a Progress Exam is needed. The setup that is needed for that can be completed under Edit > Setup > Patient Statuses > Progress Months.
Cleaning Date
This date is entered manually based on the patient's last cleaning date. Since the cleaning is done at the patient's dental office, the information is obtained from them and manually entered into this field.
Deband Date
The first date of the Patient entering the Retention Phase, which should also be the date of their debanding appointment, will be automatically entered into this field.
Patient Category
This is an optional field that you can use as you wish. It can be set up under Edit > Setup > Patient Category. Information from this field can be captured using the Patient Treatments view within a Data Miner Report.
Patient Type
This is an optional field that you can use as you wish. It can be set up under Edit > Setup > Patient Types. Information from this field can be captured using the Patient Treatments view within a Data Miner Report.
Treatment Type
This is an optional field that you can use as you wish. It can be set up under Edit > Setup > Treatment Types. Information from this field can be captured using the Patient Treatments view within a Data Miner Report.
Recall Date
Assign a date within this field provide a prompt when accessing the patient chart that they have entered the timeframe for the recall date, and they should be scheduled an appointment. Information in this field DOES NOT automatically schedule them an appointment. Patient Recall Date can be searched via a filter within the Data Miner under the Patient Appointments view.
Recall Type
This is an optional field used to assist in tracking recall types. Be careful to ALWAYS enter the type exactly the same way each time. Patient Recall Type can be searched via a filter within the Data Miner under the Patient Appointments view.
Recall Appointment Type
The appointment type that the patient needs to be scheduled for when the Recall Date has been reached.
Recall Comment
In this field, enter any information that you want to be reminded about the specific recall.
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.