Frequently Asked Questions: How to Log a Contact Attempt for a Task?

Logging and Closing Tasks

• Log Contact: Use this option to record a contact attempt, such as a call or text, and keep the task open for further follow-up.

• Log & Close Task: Use this option to record the contact attempt and then close the task. Once closed, it will no longer appear in your task list.

1. How do I completely remove a task after completion?
Select "Log & Close Task" or "Close" from the Tasks page to remove a task from your task list. Once the task is closed, it will disappear from your task page.

2. If I choose "No Answer" or "Did Not Schedule," where does the task go? Will it reappear in the list?
The outcome (e.g., "No Answer," "Left Message," or "Did Not Schedule") doesn’t affect the task’s position in the list. What matters is whether you select "Log Contact" or "Log & Close Task."

• If you select a new due date and choose "Log Contact," the task remains open and moves down the list based on the new due date.
• If you choose "Log & Close Task," the task will be closed and removed from your task list.

3. What should I do with tasks for patients who "Did Not Schedule"?
For patients marked as "Did Not Schedule," it’s recommended to select "Log & Close Task," as these patients are not scheduling. Leave the task open only if there’s a reason to follow up. If you intend to follow up, set a new due date and select "Log Contact" to keep the task open.

4. If a task is logged as "Left Message," should we log the contact or close it?
This depends on your office policy:

• If you only make one contact attempt, close the task after logging "Left Message."
• If your policy is to make multiple contact attempts, select "Log Contact" to keep the task open and set a new due date for the next attempt.

5. How can I see how many times a patient has been contacted for a task?
You can view the Contact Log within the Task window, which shows all contact attempts made for that specific task.

6. Will an open task be marked as overdue?
Not if you set a new due date for the task. The task will remain open, but it will not be considered overdue as long as a future due date is assigned.

7. Why aren’t patients removed from the task list once they schedule an appointment?

• Manual Tasks: For manually created tasks, Practice by Numbers doesn’t automatically remove patients who schedule appointments. You should mark the outcome as "Scheduled" and manually close the task.
• Automatic Tasks: For automatically created tasks, PbN will automatically close and remove scheduled patients if their appointment matches the closure rule of the task.

8. How do I reassign tasks to a different employee?
For both manually and automatically created tasks, you can reassign them on the Task page. Select the tasks you want to reassign, then click "Reassign" to open a panel where you can select the new assignee. To prevent future automatic tasks from being assigned to the previous person, go to the Automatic Tasks page and update the task settings to change the assignee.