Automating patient forms streamlines the process of collecting necessary information, saving time for both your practice and patients. Follow the steps below to set up automated patient forms effectively.
Steps to Automate Patient Forms
Navigate to the Forms Tab
Access the Forms tab at the top of the PbN interface.
Select Forms from the menu on the left.
Set Form Frequency
Determine how often each form should be sent to patients. Options include:
Manual: These forms will not be included in the automation of new and upcoming appointment patient forms.Once: For new patients, the automation will always include these forms in the form request.For existing patients, the automation will only include these forms if no previous submission record exists for the form either in PMS or our system.
Every Time/Every 6 months/Every 12 months/Every 2 years: These forms will be included in the automation based on the set interval.
For the 12-month frequency option: This ensures patients receive the form only once per year, calculated based on the patient's last visit date rather than the calendar year.
This helps maintain compliance and ensures patient records remain up-to-date without unnecessary duplication.
Activate Message Sending
Navigate to Settings on the left-hand menu.
Scroll to the New Patient Form and Upcoming Appointment Patient Form section.
Check the box next to each form to activate it.
Toggle the switch at the top-right of this setting to Active.
Then select Save.
Manage Automated Messages
In this section, you can:
Test, Edit, and Preview each automated message.
Adjust manually sent messages by referencing the Form Templates Guide.
Exclude patients from receiving specific forms based on services scheduled, chairs, or tags.
Notes on Consents
Recommended Consents: Consent forms are not automatically sent. Instead, they are recommended based on the service codes selected within the consent setup.
Automated Consents: To automate consent forms, you can convert them into regular forms. Once converted, they can be included in the automation based on the form Frequency settings.
Automatic Form Sending
Once activated, forms will be sent automatically based on the settings you’ve configured. The timing of form distribution for interval-based frequencies (like 12-month) is calculated based on the patient's last visit date, ensuring relevant and timely updates. Patients will receive a message containing a link to complete all required forms. Completed forms are easily accessible in the Completed Forms section of PbN.
<subheading>Troubleshooting Form Automation</subheading> <paragraph>If patients are not automatically receiving updated forms despite your configured frequency settings, try this solution:</paragraph> <unorderedNestedList>
Temporarily change the distribution frequency for the problem form to "Once."
This ensures all patients receive the form before their next appointment.
After this one-time update process, revert the frequency back to your desired interval (e.g., 12-month) to resume the regular schedule. </unorderedNestedList>
Important Note for Form Packages
Form packages are managed separately from automation and are not tied to the Frequency settings. Packages are used for:
Public links on websites to allow patients to access multiple forms in a single request.
Simplifying manual form requests by bundling multiple forms together for convenience.