Scheduler Enablement Guide

Scheduler has been enabled for your facility. Now what? 

The following guide walks you through the necessary and optional customizations to ensure you can configure Scheduler to suit your facility workflows. 

Learn How to Use Scheduler

We have two courses in the Kipu Academy that will train you and your staff on how to properly set up and use the Scheduler. 

• Complete Scheduler Introductory Coursework: This 60-minute course covers how to use Scheduler to create and manage appointments and group sessions. 
• Complete Super Admin Coursework: This 65-minute course is designed to help Super Admins become familiar with the available scheduler customization options and migration process.  

Note: If you don't already have a Kipu Academy account, you will be asked to provide an email address and password to create one. This allows you to track your progress and resume courses if you weren't able to complete them in a single sitting.

Scheduler Configuration

• Resources

  Resources in the Scheduler are any individual that can be assigned to an appointment. By default, any user with a Provider role will automatically be assigned to a resource schedule with the working hours of 5am-10pm Monday to Sunday when Scheduler is enabled. If you want to allow additional users to be scheduled (for patient or staff appointments), set up a Resource Schedule for that user. Click here for instructions. 
  

  Important: Any time a new user is added to the system who should appear as a Resource on the Scheduler, you must assign them a Resource Schedule in the Scheduler Settings, or they will not be available in the Resources drop-down when scheduling an appointment.

  Schedule Templates

  Create Custom Schedule Templates: Have sets of working hours that are the same across multiple providers? You can build Schedule Templates that outline working hours, breaks, etc., and apply them to multiple providers. This allows you to quickly apply a shell schedule and then build out the custom components in the Resource Schedule. 
  

  Setting up Rooms for Scheduler

  Set up Rooms for Scheduler: Schedule appointments in specific rooms in your facility by setting up those rooms with a resource schedule. Important: These rooms cannot be set up as bedrooms to be available for scheduling. 
  

• Appointment Types

  Identify the appointment types you'd like to use in the Scheduler, including duration, location, and related evaluation/consent forms. You will also be able to assign a color to each appointment type. This is a great opportunity to review your current appointment types and make updates! However, you can also map your existing appointment types to the system defaults. For help creating custom appointment types, click here. 
  

• Appointment Communications

  You can review the automated appointment communications sent out of Scheduler and add, edit, and disable the communication templates as needed to fit your desired communication workflow. Please note the Default communication template can’t be disabled but can be edited. This is used for organizations that have enabled telehealth visits and automatically sends a communication to ensure patients receive the link to join the session. Click here for instructions. 
  

• Scheduler Preferences

  Control how the Scheduler appears and behaves with Preferences. You can dictate things like overbookings, waitlist, cancellation reasons, and drag/drop to reschedule. Click here for instructions.
  

• User Permissions

  Ensure permissions to access and manage Scheduler are appropriately applied. If you want people who are not resources to be able to see the Scheduler, you will need to provide them with additional permissions. Click here for instructions. Click here for a full explanation of the available permissions.

• Paid Add-Ons

  1. Enable Telehealth: Want to run telehealth appointments and group sessions? Make sure to enable Telehealth in your Instance Settings. 
  2. Enable Text Messages: Want to send appointment communication via SMS messages? Make sure to enable Text Messaging in your Instance Settings. 

Key Workflow Changes

When adopting the new Scheduler, certain changes to your workflow will need to be adopted, specifically around Group Session and Schedule assignments. These system changes go into effect on the day that the Scheduler is enabled for your organization. 

• Group Schedule Assignments

  Previously, Group Schedules were assigned to the patient from a tab in the patient chart. Now all Group Schedules (or individual session) assignments are handled through Scheduler. This can be done from the Scheduler screen (Schedules > Scheduler) or can be handled by opening Scheduler on the patient chart (by clicking on the Calendar icon). 
  

  Key Improvements:

  • Individual Group Sessions can now be assigned to patients outside the standard group schedules. This allows you to provide more flexibility in sessions available for patients and provide more tailored care. 
  • Schedules can be assigned from the Scheduler or the patient file, depending on where you are already working!

• Group Session Cards

  The following changes have been made to how Group Sessions display on the Scheduler:

  • Group Sessions without a specified leader in the Group Session Template will appear on every user's Scheduler view as a block. 
    • Groups with an assigned leader will only display on that leader's Scheduler view.
  • Group Sessions without patients won't appear on the Scheduler. 
  • You can now view which clients are assigned to an upcoming Group Session without needing to start the session.
    
  • You can start Group Session from the Scheduler using the Start Session button. 
  • The Edit icon on the Group Session tile can only be used to manage the patient roster, but cannot be used to change the Group Session template information like Topics (this must be done under Templates > Group Sessions).