Online Booking Settings

These settings are designed to ensure consistency between the practice management system (PMS) and PbN, providing a seamless experience for both the practice and the patients.

Setting Descriptions

1. Provider Time Availability

   • This setting ensures that provider availability is considered when scheduling appointments. It must be enabled for accurate scheduling.

2. Use Practice and Provider Schedule From PMS

   • This setting syncs the practice and provider schedules from the PMS. Any changes made in the PMS will automatically reflect in PbN, ensuring that the online booking system is always up to date.

3. Enable Using PMS Schedule Blocks for Visit Types (Only available for Open Dental and Dentrix)

   • This setting allows the use of PMS schedule blocks for different visit types. It provides more granular control over scheduling by restricting booking to specific time blocks defined in the PMS.

Detailed Explanation of Key Settings

1. Use Practice and Provider Schedule from the PMS: When this setting is enabled, the online booking system will pull the provider's availability based on their schedule in the PMS. This ensures that any changes to the provider's schedule, such as unexpected availability or adjustments, are automatically updated in PbN without requiring manual changes.

• Example: If a provider updates their availability in the PMS to reflect a new appointment slot, this change will be reflected in the online booking system, making that slot available for patients to book.

2. PMS Schedule Blocks for Visit Types: This setting allows practices to define specific time blocks for different types of visits within the PMS. When enabled, it restricts online booking to those defined time blocks, ensuring that appointments are scheduled appropriately.

• Setup:
  1. Enable the setting in PbN.
  2. Go to the visit types and select the appropriate blocks for each type.
  3. Ensure that each visit type has the correct block types assigned in the PMS.
• Example: A practice might have specific blocks for new patient hygiene appointments. By enabling this setting, only the defined blocks can be booked online, ensuring that these appointments are scheduled at the designated times and chairs.

Additional Notes

• Verification: If there are discrepancies in available times, check the provider schedule and block settings in the PMS to ensure they are correctly configured.