Cloud 9: Scheduling and Managing Appointments – Cloud 9

Keywords: appointments, scheduling, reschedule, cancel, no show, recall, appointment details, appointment search, patient appts, clipboard, appointment options, appointment ticket, schedule
Summary
This article reviews how to manage appointments in Cloud 9 from start to finish. It explains how to schedule directly on the schedule or using the Search and Patient Appts tools, what each field in the Appointment Details window means, and how to reschedule, cancel, mark no shows, and work with recalls.

Overview
Cloud 9 gives you several ways to schedule and manage patient appointments. In addition to scheduling directly on the schedule, you can also schedule appointments using the Search or Patient Appts options on the scheduling toolbar, from the Edit Patient window, and from the Checkout window.

Note: When scheduling appointments, make sure to select a doctor who is at the patient’s location. Otherwise Cloud 9 will alert you that the appointment is not being scheduled at the patient’s usual location.

Prerequisite Reading: If you are not yet familiar with how to navigate the Scheduling window, see the Cloud 9: Navigating the Schedule article here first.

Scheduling an Appointment Directly on the Schedule
If you know the date and time for the appointment, you can schedule it directly on the schedule.

Navigate to Home > Schedule > View. The schedule displays.
Click on the desired available time slot on the schedule grid. A popup window will appear.
Select Schedule an Appointment. The Appointment Details dialogue box will open.
In the Patient field, click Lookup and select the patient.
In the Type field, select the desired appointment type. The remaining fields will fill in automatically based on the patient and appointment type information including the provider.
Optionally select an Assistant from the dropdown or leave it blank.
Add any notes in the Note field.
Select any of the following checkboxes that apply:
- Sooner (if possible): Check if the patient would like an earlier appointment if one becomes available.
- Print an appointment ticket: Check if you want to print the appointment ticket now.
- This appointment is confirmed: Check if the appointment has been confirmed.
- Email appointment ticket: Check if you wish to email an appointment ticket manually for this appointment. If your practice uses C9 Connect, appointment reminder emails are handled automatically without needing to check this box.
- Insurance Verified: Check if you have confirmed the patient has insurance.
Click Save. The appointment will appear on the schedule.

Scheduling Using Search or Patient Appts
If you are not sure which date and time to use, or you want to find the next available opening, use one of the following starting points:

Search button on the scheduling toolbar: Click the magnifying glass Search button. The Appointment Search dialogue box will open.
Patient Appts button on the scheduling toolbar: Click the Patient Appts button, look up the patient, and from the Patient Appointments window click Schedule. The Appointment Search dialogue box will open.
Edit Patient window: Click the Appointments tab and click Schedule. The Appointment Search dialogue box will open.
Checkout window: Click Schedule. The Appointment Search dialogue box will open.

Once the Appointment Search dialogue box is open, see the Appointment Search section below for how to use it.

Appointment Search
The Appointment Search dialogue box allows you to enter criteria to search for available appointment times. The available fields are:

Time Frame
The default search range is 6 weeks into the future. You can use the calendar buttons to select a specific date range, or type a number followed by a “w” to search by weeks. For example, entering “7w” searches 7 weeks from today.

Schedule View
Select the location you want to search.

Search By
Select whether to search by Appointment Class or Appointment Type.

Appointment Class
Select the class if searching by class.

Appointment Type
Select the type if searching by type.

Weekday
Check the days of the week to include in the search.

Morning/Afternoon
Check the desired time of day to include in the search.

Once your criteria are set, click Search. The results will display showing available times with their Day, Date, Time, Schedule Column, Template, Appointment Class, Appointment Type, and Schedule View.

After reviewing the results, click the desired appointment time to highlight it. Then do one of the following:

To view the surrounding schedule before confirming: Click Go to Reservation. The schedule will display with that reservation highlighted so you can confirm it works before committing. Click the reservation and select your next action.
To make the appointment: Click Make Appointment. The Appointment Details dialogue box will open with the information pre-filled. Optionally select an assistant, add notes, and select any applicable checkboxes. Click the Procedures tab if you need to view, add, or delete a procedure. Click Make Appointment to confirm. The appointment will appear on the schedule.

Appointment Details
The Appointment Details dialogue box appears when scheduling a new appointment or editing an existing one. It has three tabs across the top: Appointment, Procedures, and Continuing Care.

The fields on the Appointment tab are:

Date
The date of the appointment.

Time
The time of the appointment.

Status
The current status of the appointment.

Patient
The selected patient’s name.

Type
The appointment type.

Minutes
The length of the appointment as set up in the appointment type configuration.

Orthodontist
The orthodontist assigned to the patient when the patient was created. This can be changed if needed.

Assistant
The assistant assigned to the patient when the patient was created. This can be changed if needed.

Note
Any notes specific to this appointment.

The following checkboxes are also available:

Sooner (if possible): Check this if the patient would like an earlier appointment if one becomes available. This places the patient on the Sooner list in the Toolbar/Clipboard.
Print an appointment ticket: Check this if the practice uses appointment tickets for reminders. If you want to print the ticket for this appointment right now, check this box before saving.
This appointment is confirmed: Check this if the appointment has been confirmed. A checkmark will appear on the appointment block on the schedule.
Email appointment ticket: Check if you wish to email an appointment ticket manually for this appointment. If your practice uses C9 Connect, appointment reminder emails are handled automatically without needing to check this box.
Insurance Verified: Check this if you have confirmed the patient has insurance.

Appointment Options
Once an appointment has been scheduled, clicking on it in the schedule opens the Appointment popup window. This window displays the patient’s appointment details on the right side and a list of options on the left. The options are divided into three sections.

Section 1: Appointment Tasks

Edit this Appointment: Opens the Appointment Details dialogue box to add or change information.
Print this Appointment Ticket: Prints a paper appointment ticket for the patient.
Email this Appointment Ticket: Emails the appointment ticket to the patient.
Confirm this Appointment: Marks the appointment as confirmed. A checkmark will appear on the appointment block on the schedule and in the popup window.
Recall: Opens the Patient Recall dialogue box to create a reminder to call the patient back to schedule a future appointment.
Cancel this Appointment: Removes the appointment from the schedule.
Send Appointment Reminder: Sends an individual email, text message, or both to the patient. This is a one-off reminder and not part of the reminder queue.
MyTooth Forms/Packets: If your practice uses MyTooth, click this to see the patient's forms or packets in Cloud 9. To learn more about MyTooth check out the MyTooth Introduction article here or the MyTooth Navigation article here.

Section 2: Patient Locator Options

Check In Appointment: Checks the patient in directly from the appointment rather than from the Patient Locator.
Seat Appointment: Selects the patient’s status and chair directly from the appointment rather than from the Patient Locator.
Check Out Appointment: Checks the patient out directly from the appointment rather than from the Patient Locator.

Section 3: Patient Information

View this Patient: Opens the View Patient window.
Edit this Patient: Opens the Edit Patient window.
View Appointment History: Opens the patient’s appointment history window.
View Treatment Card: Opens the patient’s treatment card.
View Patient Images: Opens the patient’s images.
View Financial Ledger: Opens the patient’s financial ledger.
View Patient Comments: Opens the patient’s comments and alerts.
View Documents: Opens the patient’s document cabinet.
View Patient To-Dos: Opens the patient’s To-Do list.
Create Patient To-Do: Opens the To-Do window to add a new patient-specific To-Do.

To use any of these options, click on the appointment in the schedule, then select the desired option. Cloud 9 will direct you to the selected area.

Rescheduling an Appointment
Rescheduling in Cloud 9 is done by dragging the appointment to the Clipboard and then dragging it to the new day and time. If you decide not to reschedule after all, click Revert Appointments below the clipboard and the appointment will return to its original date and time automatically.

From the schedule, click the Patient Appts button. The Lookup Patient window will appear.
Search for and select the patient. The Patient Appointments window will display.
Click on the appointment to be rescheduled. A popup window will appear.
Select Go To Appointment. The schedule will display in the background showing the appointment.
Click Close on the Patient Appointments dialogue box to view the schedule.
Place your cursor in the middle of the appointment block and drag it to the Clipboard in the Toolbar/Clipboard panel on the left side of the screen.
Navigate the schedule to the desired new day and time.
Drag the appointment from the Clipboard to the new day and time on the schedule.
Note: Make sure you put the appointment right on the desired start time. Clicking the wrong start time on the schedule might not allow the appointment to complete the move on the schedule. You can always make the schedule a little bigger if it is too small. For more information, see this article.

Canceling an Appointment
When canceling an appointment you need to decide whether a recall is needed for the patient.

Canceling Without a Recall

From the schedule, click the Patient Appts button. The Lookup Patient window will appear.
Search for and select the patient. The Patient Appointments window will display.
Click on the appointment to be canceled. A popup window will appear.
Select Cancel this Appointment. The Cancel Selected Appointment confirmation dialogue box will appear asking “Are you sure you want to cancel the selected appointment?”
Click Yes. The appointment status changes to Canceled.

Canceling With a Recall

If the patient will need to be recalled to reschedule, follow these steps instead:

Click the appointment on the schedule that needs to be cancelled. The full Appointment popup window will appear.
Select Recall. The Patient Recall dialogue box will appear.
Enter the appropriate recall information and click Save.
Click on the appointment again. A popup window will appear.
Select Cancel this Appointment. The Cancel Selected Appointment confirmation dialogue box will appear.
Click Yes. The appointment status changes to Canceled.

Recalls
A recall is the suggested date a patient should return to the office. A recall is not an appointment. Appointments are scheduled independently of the recall date.

Recalls can be created and viewed from the Patient Checkout window, the Treatment Card, the Schedule, and the Edit Patient window. At the completion of an appointment you have the opportunity to dismiss or update the recall.

The Patient Recall dialogue box includes the following fields:

Patient Name: The patient the recall is associated with.
Date: The suggested return date.
Type: Used to categorize the recall. For example, you can use this field to separate observation recalls from retention recalls, or to indicate the name of the Treatment Coordinator. The Type field can also be used to filter certain reports.
Appointment Type: The appointment type the recall is associated with.
Comment: Any notes about the recall.
Tip: Consider placing all recalls on the first of the month. This simplifies generating reports and correspondence.

Recalls are especially useful for:

Observation patients who are not yet ready for treatment.
Maintaining post-treatment retention follow-up.
Following up with patients who do not have a future appointment scheduled.

Important: Setting up the correct patient status is essential for tracking patients. Along with recalls, accurate patient statuses help ensure patients do not fall through the cracks or miss a potential start.

Note: Appointment Types setup including Patient Status and Patient Status Changes can be found at Edit > Setup > Appointment Types.

Marking No Shows
There are two ways to mark a patient as a No Show: using the Mark as No Show window or using the Edit this Appointment option. The Mark as No Show window is the most commonly used method because it allows you to apply no show fees, mark multiple patients at once, and view how many times a patient has been a no show. If you only need to mark a no show without applying a fee, the Edit this Appointment option is simpler.
Note: No show fee transaction types must be set up in Edit > Setup > Transaction Types before they can be applied.

Method 1: Using the Mark as No Show Window
The No Shows button in the Scheduling Buttons row opens the Mark as No Show window. It has a circle with a line through it as its icon and sits in the left-hand group of buttons below the Patient Locator.

The window contains the following fields and buttons across the top:

Mark as No Show (circle with line icon): Marks the selected appointment as a no show.
Apply No Show Fee (dollar sign icon): Applies a no show fee to the selected appointment.
Schedule View: Select the schedule location and date to view.
No Show Fee Type: Select the no show fee transaction type. If only one fee type exists it will default automatically.
Posting Location: Select the location to post the fee to.
Refresh (circular arrow icon): Refreshes the Mark as No Show queue.
Close: Closes the Mark as No Show window.

To mark a no show:

From the Scheduling window, click the No Shows button. The Mark as No Show window will appear.
Select the desired Schedule View, No Show Fee Type, and Posting Location.
The patients scheduled for that day and location will appear in the list. Check the box next to the patient you want to mark as a no show.

Method 1: Using the Mark as No Show Window
If you do not need to apply a fee and just want to update the status, you can mark a no show directly from the schedule.

On the schedule, click the patient’s appointment block. A popup window will appear.
Select Edit this Appointment. The Appointment Details dialogue box will open.
In the Status dropdown, select No Show.
Click Save. Cloud 9 returns to the schedule and the appointment block will display a no show indicator icon in the upper right corner.

Reversing a No Show Status
If a patient was marked as a no show by mistake or arrived late, you can reverse the status directly from the schedule.

Click on the appointment that needs to be changed.
Select Edit this Appointment.
In the Status field, select the appropriate status from the dropdown.
Click Save. The appointment is restored to the Patient Locator and the patient is ready to check in or be seated.

Applying a No Show Fee
No show fees can be applied from the Mark as No Show window. This can be done for a single patient or for multiple patients at once.

From the Scheduling window, click the No Shows button.
Select the desired Schedule View, No Show Fee Type, and Posting Location.
Check the box next to each patient who should receive the fee. To apply the fee to everyone listed, check the box to the left of the Patient column header to select all.
If the Responsible Party column is blank for a patient, this means there is more than one responsible party on the account. Click the dropdown in that column to display all responsible parties and select the one who should receive the fee.
Click the Apply No Show Fee dollar sign button. The Confirm Charging No-Show Fee popup will appear asking “Are you sure you want to charge the selected appointments for No Shows?”
Click Yes. Two things will happen: an information screen will confirm the fees were successfully applied, and a checkmark will appear in the Fee Applied column. The fee is added to the responsible party’s ledger.

If the patient has more than one responsible party and all parties should be charged:

After the first fee is applied, go back to the Responsible Party column for that patient and select the second responsible party.
Click Apply No Show Fee again. A No Shows Already Applied dialogue box will appear noting that a fee has already been applied and asking if you want to continue.
Click Yes to confirm, then click Yes again on the Confirm Charging No-Show Fee popup. The information popup will confirm the fee was applied and a checkmark will appear in the Fee Applied column.

For more information about Navigating the Schedule in Cloud 9, read this article.

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.

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