Messaging

[vilmau]

Is it possible by configuring light buttons or messages to choose computer wich will receive a message.
For example: can I configure 3 buttons (or 3 messages) on Front computer like PtReady each for different Operatory?

[jordansparks]

Wouldn't you want all users on all computers to be aware that a patient was ready for a particular operatory? In other words, shouldn't it light up on all computers? You would still have three different lights, but I would think that they should show everywhere.

[vilmau]

It's really inconvenient for all operatories to listen all messages like "Doctor ready" or "Patient ready"
when theese messages are dedicated to other operatories. I think this should be configurable.

[jordansparks]

So it's the sound that bothers you more than the presence of an indicator light?

Also, your messages, "Doctor ready" and "Patient ready" are the opposite of the way it was designed. In other words, you don't specify who is ready, but instead who you want to come into the room. The person is not already in the room, but they are somewhere else. So naturally, you need the message to go to other places to call them to you. So it should be "Assistant to Op1" or "Doctor to Op2" instead of the two examples you gave. In both cases, you can see that the person you are calling will not already be in the op.

[Pruce Dental]

I had another question about the messaging system. I know that you can hide messages once they were acknowledged but can you clear out the old ones afterwards or are they saved indefinitely?.. I am still playing with a trial conversion and not using the messaging system but I was wondering if a staff member wrote a custom message with something really dumb in it if it would be there forever in the database?

[jordansparks]

It would be there indefinitely. But we will probably build a tool some day that will let you clear out all the message history. Those kinds of messages are only intended to be useful for a few minutes/hours and they do make the database files larger than they need to be. For messages that are more permanent, the task lists are used.

[vilmau]

If i have 3 operatories, I want setup 3 different messages: 'Patient ready to operatory 1', 'Patient ready to operatory 2', 'Patient ready to operatory 3'.
For example 2 operatories are waiting for the patient.
And if patient for operatory 1 is ready, I want this message to go only to Operatory 1.
Then Doctor from operatory 1 sends message 'Doctor in operatory 1 is ready' to Front.
Is it possible in OD?

[jordansparks]

I understand what you are trying to do. The "patient is ready" signal is one of the few signals I can think of that makes sense to only send to one location.

No, Open Dental does not do it that way, although you could vote for that feature request.

Light buttons are typically used more like this:
- Dr. to Op 1
- Asst to Op 2
- Patient ready for Op 1 (general announcement rather than targetted)
etc.
And that is how Open Dental currently behaves. As I explained earlier, you won't know where the Dr. or Asst. are when you send one of the above messages, so you do need it to go (almost) everywhere.

[drfredc]

I agree it would be nice to select what message goes to what workstations.

For example, when hygiene is ready for an exam, the message only needs to go to my two ops and back office computer, not every workstation.

FYI, It's not a big deal to make up new messages. Webcams and laptops all have built in microphone support. Right click on the monitor desktop and select New/Wave Sound. Sometimes you have to configure your microphone. Then record and save your wave sound. Import into OD via OD's Setup/Messaging/New/Import.

Currently we've sorted out a need for a couple messaging enhancements.

Hygiene exam -- when the pt is ready for exam after cleaning. (needs to go to Dr's computer & ops).
Hygiene pt -- when there's a hygiene pt arrived at the waiting room. (needs to just go to one or the other Hygiene rooms, preferably selectable according to hygienist).

I've also added one for Dr Ready, which means I need the assistant, typically near some end point during a root canal when the assistant has left me while I diddle away. It needs to only go to the staff computers.

[atd]

Another reason to be able to choose by workstation is in a multi-clinic setup. Clinic A doesn't want to hear about messages for Clinic B.
Of course I have to get the web service setup first - otherwise they're all working off the terminal server which acts as one workstation and it won't matter if this feature is added.

[Nate]

I have not used the open dental message feature since it was changed a couple years ago. It use to pop up on the screen and make a noise and was really designed like a built in yahoo messenger. I think you could target an individual computer but maybe not. Anyway I decided to use Windows Messenger built into Microsoft Windows machines. Sign up for an account on each of your machines so they are all registered. Then they can autoload when the computers come on, and its fast we dont even notice it logging in. Then if Dr wants to ask front desk question its simple as clicking there name and typing. They are sure to be aware of it because the message will pop up immediately on the screen and if volumes on they will get a noise if you have it set with standard options. Likewise if Op1 patient is ready then the assistant simply sends message to the Dr Computer and he gets the message and can stop looking at the at the stock market tickers.

Wish I could use OD messaging but found it is very crudely constructed and only applicable in few situations. Luckly all of our computers comes with its own built in messenger so it works out well for now.