How to track regular check-ups scheduled months ago

[brentwood]

In our office, we schedule the next regualr check-up when the patient finishes the cleaning. So it is an appointment 6 months away. We need a way to track those appointments and send them postcards about one or two weeks before the appointment. Right now, we have no way to tell those appointments from the rest. So when we call them one or two days before, they say they cannot make it. They have totally forgot it and made other commitments since it was scheduled 6 months ago.

Is there any way to track those regular check-up appointments made months ago? What I can think of is to add a feature that tracks appointments months apart from the last appointments. In such a way, we can send postcards to them. The logic is that if an appointment was made months ago, then we should remind them one week before not one day before to give them time to arrange for it. Thanks.

[drtech]

what we did was make a new code called 6MR with the code D1110-6MR and then assigned that to the recall button auto code inserted. Then for all future appts we use the schedule recall button and for prophys we just scheduled recently we put it in by hand. This allows you to see the 6MR appt from the prophys. IT does not automatically come up on a list or anything though...this could be improved, I agree....

[brentwood]

Hi Dr. Tech, Thanks for your response. But I am still confused about how you did it. What do you mean by "assigned that to the recall button auto code inserted"? We schedule next apoointment when the patient finishes the cleaning in office. Ehe scheduled appointment 6 months away will show up the "recall list" when you click "reall button" on "Appointment List" window. Thanks.

[drtech]

beta V6.0 and after you goto Setup | Recall Types and double click on prophy. Change the "procs on appt" down in the lower box to a newly created code like i described above. Then you you click the "Schedule Recall" button in the "Appointments for _________" window, it will attache that procedure. If you are using v5.9 or less, I think this is In the Setup | Recall window, a little bit different, but you can still edit the procs there.

[DavidWolf]

We do the post- card confirmation with the open dental confirmation module. We set the date range for the next week and then choose the hygiene provider and it produces the recall confirmation postcards. We also setup an appointment status called post card sent, this changes the appointment status in the schedule so when we confirm the appointment via phone we know that we already sent them a postcard as well.