For use with NexHealth Forms and Templates
Overview
Smart form automation
By default, the Reminders template contains a smart command, APPOINTMENT_REGISTRATION. This smart command causes NexHealth to check a patient's appointment and look for outstanding form requests, which NexHealth then combines into a single communication sequence.
If your Reminders sequence is not sending forms and appointment reminders together, check to make sure that this smart command is in the text of the emails and SMS in templates. If you have further issues, contact support.
Send forms automatically
Send forms automatically as part of your Reminders sequence for appointments and other reminders.
1. Navigate to Forms → Manage Forms, select a Form.
The form builder will open with the configurable rules in the panel on the right.
2. Toggle on Send automatically.
You’ll find this above the configurable rules on the right.
3. Click edit (pencil icon) for a rule.
You can adjust rules for Patient status, Frequency, Age, Procedure codes, and Appointment types.
The Frequency filter requires a form to be completed in NexHealth once to be sent at the designated frequency. If the frequency is set to Every 12 months, the form will not be sent to the patient again until 12 months after the first time they filled it out. For example, your HIPAA form might go to All patients every 12 months, while your Financial policy form might go to New patients just one time.
4. Select an option, then Save that rule.
Your rule is now active! The form(s) will automatically be sent to patients who fit the selected rules as part of your regular Reminder sequence. |  |
The Procedure code filter is a multi-select option and acts as an OR filter, meaning if multiple codes are selected, the form will be sent to appointments that have any one of the selected codes. This is also true for the Appointment type filters.
Procedure code filters are only available for Athena, Cloud 9, Denticon, Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Dentrix Enterprise, Eaglesoft, eCW, Orthotrac, ModMed, and Next Gen Office.
5. Repeat for each form you want to send via your Reminders.
Automated Form requests FAQ
How do patients receive these Forms reminders?
In the email reminder:
Patients will receive both a request to confirm their appointment and a link to complete their forms.
In the SMS message:
Patients will receive only a request to confirm their appointment
Once they’ve confirmed, then they will receive a link to complete outstanding form requests.
For either email or SMS, once a patient has confirmed their appointment, they will only receive reminders for outstanding form requests.
The reminder sequence now asks patients to do two things. Are we sure they will do both?
The reminder sequence has two distinct calls to action, both outlined in the initial text or email. The first action asks the patient to confirm if they are coming to the appointment. Once they do, they are provided a link to complete their forms.
What if I want to send a whole packet of forms to a New Patient?
With form automation, packets are only necessary when you need to manually send patient forms. Configure the rules for each form you want to send to patients. Select ‘New patients only’ for forms specific to them, or ‘New and existing patients’ for forms (such as HIPAA) that go to both. NexHealth will take care of ensuring the right patient gets the right forms at the right time!
How does NexHealth determine the due date for the Frequency rule? Does this only start once they have completed a med history form in NexHealth?
Patients must have completed a form in NexHealth at least once for NexHealth to apply the frequency rule. For example: a patient will have to have one completed NexHealth Medical History form for the system to know when to send the next.
Is it possible to configure the new form sending rules with procedure codes so that mapping anything with EHR mapping (appointment journeys) is unnecessary?
YES! The form automation rules make it simple to send specific forms based on the procedure codes in a patient’s appointment. There may still be a need to set up an appointment journey if specific messaging is desired, so the EHR maps will still be functional with Appointment Journeys.
Can I set up rules to automate packets, or do patients receive individual form requests for each form?
Patients receive a single link that takes them to all of their relevant forms, not individual form links. The new rules allow multiple forms to be linked to different procedure codes and other rules, which allows you to create more diverse sets of forms than the current singular packet setup does. Packets can still be maintained to send to patients manually when needed, but the form automation rules eliminate the need for packets in the reminders.
Will a patient receive multiple forms if they fit multiple rules? For example, if they are a new patient AND also need Spanish forms as opposed to ONLY a new patient, will they get both?
Forms automation allows for more granular targeting of patients, so a patient will receive the forms that meet the conditions of the rules that apply to them. If they are New AND need Spanish forms, they will get the correct combo. The form rules are AND statements.
To automate consent forms, does the appointment status have to be “checked in”?
Consent forms sent via form automation rules are automated through Reminders (meaning they will be sent before the appointment), so the appointment status does not affect them.
If forms are only sent via the Reminder template after an appointment has been confirmed, how can I automate forms that need to be sent after the appointment begins (consent forms) or ends (post-op instructions)?
Consent forms should be sent manually after the patient has arrived, and post-op instructions should still use appointment journeys.
Does form automation work with all health record systems?
Form automation works with all systems that have NexHealth-integrated forms. The ability to configure rules based on procedure codes and health record system appointment types will vary depending on the health record system.
For patients with previous health histories that have been completed in NexHealth, will form automation rules send updates that are pre-filled (e.g. patients only have to click on things that need updating)?
Form automation will send a pre-filled Medical History form when a patient has previously completed a NexHealth Medical History form and the rules are configured to do so. The form will pre-fill their previous answers, so patients will only need to update changes to any of their alerts. You only need to set up the form rules once to make this form go to patients automatically.
Can I stop sending New Patient forms?
To stop sending New Patient (NP) forms, follow these steps:
Navigate to the Templates section within the NexHealth platform.
Select Save the Date and locate the New Patient template.
Remove the NP form from this section to stop it from being sent automatically. This process ensures that the New Patient Paperwork will no longer be sent to your patients automatically. For additional guidance, refer to instructional resources or support videos within the NexHealth Help Center.
Troubleshooting Issues With Sending Patient Paperwork
If you encounter problems sending patient forms, particularly after adding a patient in NexHealth, ensure the following:
Install and Run the NexHealth Synchronizer: Ensure the synchronizer is installed and actively running on your computer.
Log in to NexHealth: Log in to your NexHealth account before creating the patient profile.
Save the Patient Profile: Once the profile is created, open it and click the save button. This action connects the profile properly and enables the sending of forms. These steps help ensure that patient profiles are correctly configured to allow form transmission without issues.