Inbound Queue

Description:

The inbound queue is a powerful tool in TheraOffice which is used to manage incoming messages--whether faxes or patient portal registrations--as well as to collect information about outbound messages.

Applies To:

TheraOffice Onsite and Web

Accessing the Inbound Queue:

To access your clinic's inbound queue, your user will need to be granted security permissions by the Administrator.

The above image shows the modules menu of the Home tab with Inbound Queue highlighted in yellow.

Once permissions are granted, you can simply select the Inbound Queue option of the modules menu on the Home tab, or select Inbound Queue from the Open tab of the Backstage Menu.

The image above shows the Backstage Menu expanded to the Open tab with Inbound Queue selected.

Queue Overview and Navigation:

The inbound queue contains a few important components:

The above image showcases the Navigation toolbar with its various options.

1. The Navigation Toolbar: This toolbar allows you to navigate the queue. Here, you can review the Send/Receive pop-up, refresh the page, filter by facility, and import portal registrations.

The image above shows the Fax Toolbar with its various options.

2. The Fax Toolbar: This toolbar is visible when a fax notification is highlighted. It contains controls for fax specific actions.

This image shows the inbound queue with the Notifications Summary highlighted in yellow.

3. Notifications Summary: The notifications summary is the list of notifications which fills the bulk of the page. These can be used to review notifications, as well as to manage each individual action.

Send/Receive Pop-Up:

The above image shows the Send/Receive pop-up with no new items.

Upon opening the inbound queue, you will see the Send/Receive pop-up, which gives you a preview of all new items since the last time the queue was opened. As the system checks each item (faxes sent status, incoming faxes, patient portal registrations), the icons to the left of the item will turn green if all is well and red if any faxes have failed.

The above image shows the Send/Receive button highlighted in yellow.

If you need to view the Send/Receive pop-up again while in the queue, return to the main navigation (no notifications highlighted) and select Send/Receive from the top toolbar.

Managing Fax Notifications:

The image above shows the inbound queue with a fax receivednotification selected and various controls in the toolbar.

When a fax is received, you can double click the notification or select View to view a preview of that fax in the Fax Assistant window. Here, you can view all pages, as well as print, export, or create tasks. You can also rotate or merge/delete extra pages which you do not need as a part of the message.

The above image shows the Fax Assistant window, where you can manage faxes received.

Beyond just reviewing a fax, you can also use Move to Image Noteto move a copy of that fax from the inbound queue to the patient's documentation. To do this, simply highlight the desired fax and choose Move to Image Note in the toolbar.

The image above illustrates how to create a task by selecting Create Task (yellow highlight) and filling out the task window.

If a fax requires attention from another staff member or at a later date, you can create a task based on that fax. To do so, simply highlight the notification and selectCreate Taskin the toolbar. This will open the task menu, where you can set a relevant patient, assign the user you would like the task to appear for, set an owner and type, update the status, choose when it will display in that user's task list, and include any relevant notes. Once you are satisfied with your task, click OK.

If you prefer to move the fax outside of TheraOffice, you can use the export option to do so.

Finally, if you wish to delete a fax from the inbound queue, you can do so by selecting Delete in the top toolbar. However, use caution when deleting faxes, as this removes them from the system and they cannot be retrieved.

When a fax is sent,a Fax Status update remains in the queue to provide a receipt for all sent faxes, as well as draw your attention to any failed faxes.

The image above shows a sent fax' detailed status, visible when View (yellow) is selected.

The fax's detailed status can be reviewed by selectingViewin the toolbar. Alternately, if a fax is successful and you would like the receipt to appear on the patient's account, chooseMove to Patient History.This option will move the notification from the inbound queue and into the History tab of the Patient's navigator. You can also create a task from this notification, if necessary or delete it.

If your clinic would like to automate some of the management of fax notifications, you have the option to add a barcode to your Plans of Care. When the physician faxes back a plan of care which has a TheraOffice barcode on it, this POC will automatically be linked to the patient from the inbound queue once the "Move To Image Note" button is selected on the top toolbar. If you would like to set up these bar codes, please contact customer support and our friendly staff will take care of it on your behalf.

Managing Portal Notifications:

The image above shows the patient portal import wizard after Import Patient (yellow) has been selected.

When a patient submits their registration via your clinic's patient portal, the registration information is moved from the portal to the inbound queue. Here, you will select Import Patient.

The image above shows the patient and case selection steps of the Import Wizard.

This will launch a wizard that will lead you through the import process. First, you will choose whether you would like to create a new patient or link them to an existing one. If the patient registered for the portal using an invitation email, their name will appear in the gray box to indicate that they are already linked. Similarly, you will also choose which case to use.

Theimage above shows the Merge Data step of the import.

Then, you will merge the patient's data in TheraOffice with the data they provided in the portal. If you notice a typo in the patient information, all the fields are free text boxes, so they can be corrected. Additionally, you can switch the toggles down the center of the window to choose whether you would like to import the information the patient provided or keep what is currently in TheraOffice. You will do this for both Patient and Case Data, as well as Insurance Information.

However, as an added security feature, everything the patient submitted in the portal-letter for letter, even if you make edits or choose not to import their information, will be automatically uploaded as an image note in the patient's case.