Scheduler Calendar

Scheduler - Calendar

(Topic Last Updated On: 09/14/2015)

The Scheduler-Calendar menu item on the Other Activities menu launches the Scheduler-Calendar screen, which is to schedule, review, add, edit, update and delete scheduled events. Most users prefer this screen to the Scheduler - Review Events window because of it's intuitive interface and drag-and-drop rescheduling capabilities. Users can view Event Detail information by selecting an event on the calendar and viewing the Event Details frame on the right. Right-clicking on an event provides options for Editing, Deleting, Completing, Rescheduling, Cancelling a Completed Event or Updating the Status of the event. This screen offers 1-Day, 5-Day (M-F), 7-Day (Week), and 31-Day (Month) views, along with a toolbar at the top for navigating to different dates, parameter filters to limit the events displayed, and delete and refresh options. The calendar control in the upper-right hand corner allows for easy rescheduling and navigation among dates.

Field Descriptions

Staff

This field is used to filter out events and only display the scheduled events a particular staff member is responsible for. By default this field will display the name of the logged in user. Available selections include all active Methasoft users.

Group

This field is used to filter out events and only display the scheduled events a particular group of staff members is responsible for. By default this field is blank. Available selections include all Job Roles at your facility. If a job role is selected here, only scheduled events with responsible staff in the selected group will be displayed.

Type

This field is used to filter out events and only display the scheduled events of a particular Event Type. By default this field will display 'All' and this screen will display all events. Available selections include all event types in Scheduler Preferences at your facility.

Start Date/Time

The field displays the Start Date and Time of the selected scheduled event.

End Date/Time

This field displays the End Date and Time of the selected scheduled event.

Assigned By

This field displays the user who entered the selected event in the system.

Resp. Staff

This field displays the staff member who was selected as the Responsible Staff for the event.

Event Scope

This field displays whether or not the scope of the event was set to Private or Public. Only the user who is selected as the event's Responsible Staff member can modify or view the details of Private events.

Event Status

This field displays the current status of the event. Statuses include 'Cancel', 'Complete', 'No Show', 'Pending', 'Refused', and 'Rescheduled'.

Event Type

This field displays the type of event that has been scheduled.

Patient Flag

This field displays whether or not the scheduled event has been set to display a flag message or not. 'Yes' indicates that a Flag Message has been set for the event.

Recurrence

This field displays whether or not the scheduled event has been set to recur or not. 'Yes' indicates that the event is a recurring event, which means that multiple event instances have been scheduled according to the recurrence settings.

Attendee List

This field displays the names and ID numbers of the patient or patients selected as attendees for the event.

Command Buttons

Previous/Next

Pressing these buttons can be used to navigate back and forth among calendar dates, work-weeks, 7-day weeks, and months, depending on which calendar view is currently being used.

Delete

Pressing this button while an event is selected will bring up a message, confirming the user wants to delete the event. Pressing Yes on this message will delete the selected event.

Refresh

Pressing this button refreshes this screen to display the latest data.

(1) Day

Pressing this button will return users to the (1) Day calendar view, displayed in the screen shot above.

(5) M-F

Pressing this button will open the (5) M-F calendar view, displayed in the screen shot below.

Week

Pressing this button will open the (7) Week calendar view, displayed in the screen shot below.

Month

Pressing this button will open the (31) Month calendar view, displayed in the screen shot below.

Calendar Control

The calendar control is displayed in the screen shot below and appears in the upper-right hand corner of this screen. Clicking on a date will display the events for that date, and the arrows at the top can be used to access events in different months. Events can be rescheduled for a different date by selecting an event on the screen and holding down the mouse button while dragging it to this control, then dropping it onto a different date by releasing the mouse button over the desired date.

Procedures

How to Schedule an Event
1.) Double-click on the time slot for the correct date. This will bring up the Scheduled Event window with the date and time already selected as shown below. 2.) Select the type of event in the Event Type field. This selection will fill in the default Event Details data for the selected event. 3.) (Optional) Make changes to data as needed under any of the four tabs on the Scheduled Event window, including the Event Details tab above. The Recurrence and Email/Reminder tabs are displayed below. An event can be set to automatically recur under the Recurrence tab, with Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly recurrence options. The Duration frame allows users to end recurrence after a defined number of days or on a selected calendar date. An event can be set to automatically generate Flag Messages and/or Email Reminders under the Email/Reminder tab. If the 'Use Patient Reminder (System Flag)' checkbox is checked, the event will automatically generate a patient flag message to appear in the system, based on the flag detail selections made on this screen. Checking 'Send Email' and 'Remind responsible staff' will send a Methasoft email to the Responsible Staff member assigned to the event. 4.) Select the patient(s) for whom the event is being scheduled by pressing the Select Attendee(s) button. This will launch the Attendee Selection window shown below. 5.) The 'Search Criteria' filters can be used to limit the list of 'Available Attendees'. Selecting a patient on the 'Available Attendees' grid then pressing Add> will select the patient as an attendee for the event. Pressing Add All>> will select all patients on the 'Available Attendees' grid as attendees. Selecting a patient on the 'Selected Attendees' grid then pressing Remove> will remove the patient from the 'Selected Attendees' list. Pressing Remove All>> will remove all patients from the 'Selected Attendees' list. Once one or more attendees have been selected, click on OK. The attendee list for an event can always be reviewed under the Attendee List tab, shown below. The Attendee(s) are displayed under the Attendee List tab, and attendees can be added or removed using the Select Attendee(s) button. 6.) Click on Save. OR 1.) Click on the time-slot for the correct date. 2.) Now right-click on this time-slot and select 'Add Event'. This will bring up the Scheduled Event window for adding the event. 3.) Follow Steps 2 - 6 above.

How to Edit a Scheduled Event
1.) Double-click on the event to be edited. This will bring up the Scheduled Event window displaying the event's details. 2.) Follow Steps 2 - 6 of the above procedure 'How to Schedule an Event', making the desired changes to the event's details. Once this process is completed the Scheduled Event window will close, and the event will display on this screen according to the changes made. OR 1.) Click on the event to be edited. 2.) Now right-click on this event and select 'Edit Event'. This will bring up the Scheduled Event window displaying the event's details. 3.) Follow Steps 2 - 6 of the above procedure 'How to Schedule an Event', making the desired changes to the event's details. Once this process is completed the Scheduled Event window will close, and the event will display on this screen according to the changes made.

How to Reschedule a Scheduled Event
1.) Click on the event to be rescheduled and hold down the left mouse button. 2.) Drag the event to another time slot or date, then release the left mouse button. The event is now rescheduled for the new date/time. OR 1.) Click on the event to be edited. 2.) Now right-click on this event and select 'Reschedule Event'. This will bring up the Scheduled Event window displaying the event's details. 3.) Change the date and/or time of the event as needed then click on Save.

How to Update a Scheduled Event's Status
1.) Click on the event to be updated. 2.) Now right-click on this event and select 'Update Event Status'. This will bring up the Update Event Status window as shown below: 3.) Select the event's 'New Status'. 4.) (Optional) Adjust the 'Date of New Status' as needed. 5.) (Optional) Enter a 'Comment' regarding the status change. 6.) Click on Save.

How to Complete a Scheduled Event
1.) Click on the event to be completed. 2.) Now right-click on this event and select 'Complete Event'. This will bring up the 'Complete this event?' confirmation message box shown below, for confirming you want to complete the selected event. 3.) Click on Yes. This will complete the event and return you to the Scheduler - Calendar screen. OR 1.) Follow Steps 1 - 6 of the procedure 'How to Update an Event's Status' above, making sure to select 'Complete' in Step 3.

How to Cancel a Scheduled Event with a 'Completed' Status
*Note: The logged in user must have security access to Cancel a Completed scheduled event to perform this procedure, which is granted by a facility administrator on the Security Administration screen (Object Type - 'Other' / 'Can Cancel a Completed Scheduled Event'). 1.) Select the event with a 'Completed' status to be cancelled on the Calendar. 2.) Right-click on the event and select the 'Cancel Event' sub-menu item. This will update the event's status to 'Cancelled'. This will cancel the event, remove it from the Calendar and return you to the Scheduler - Calendar screen. *Note: When Scheduled Events associated with Billable Services are Completed, all Attendees being charged by the associated Billable Service are charged the amount(s) defined on the Billable Services screen. Cancelling a Completed Event does not undo any associated charges, because there are scenarios where facilities want such charges to remain valid. Thus the Charge Manager or Undo Accounting Transaction screens should be used to undo any unwanted, associated charges.

How to Delete a Scheduled Event
1.) Click on the event to be deleted. 2.) Now right-click on this event and select 'Delete Event'. This will bring up the 'Delete this event?' confirmation message box shown below, for confirming you want to complete the selected event. 3.) Click on Yes. This will delete the event and return you to the Scheduler - Calendar screen.

Considerations

Use Caution When Scheduling Events for Multiple Attendees

Most facilities schedule events for one attendee (patient) at a time, to avoid common headaches associated with scheduling multiple attendees for the same event. Common problems associated with scheduling events for multiple attendees include the event being inadvertently completed before all attendees actually complete the task, selected attendees being discharged prior to completion of the event, and attendance schedule changes affecting one attendee but not the others. An additional complication arises if the scheduled event is charging patients based on its association with a Billable Service, in which case no patient is charged until the event is marked as Complete (pressing the Notify button on the Flag Messages window for scheduled events with multiple attendees does not charge attendees). For facilities submitting claims for billable scheduled events, it is recommended to not schedule a billable event for multiple attendees, not only for the initial reasons listed above, but also because rarely will each claim be accepted with the same Date of Service for each Attendee, which is either the 'Start Due Date' or 'Completed Date', depending on the associated Billable Service's 'More...' property ('Set Charge Date for Scheduled Event Service based on') setting for the associated billable service.

Scheduler Preferences

The Scheduler - Preferences window provides many configuration options for each scheduled event, and also allows users to create and configure new scheduled events. It is highly recommended that each facility scrutinize these preference settings for each scheduled event being used, making changes as needed so that events are scheduled more efficiently on a day-to-day basis. In order to set up a Billable Service for a Scheduled Event, the 'Third Party Billable?' checkbox must be checked for the event on the Scheduler - Preferences for the event being entered or edited.

Billable Scheduled Events

Scheduled events can be associated with Billable Services on the Billable Services screen, so that Attendee Patient and/or Third Party balances can be charged a set amount when the event is marked as 'Complete'. Scheduled Event Billable Services can be configured to charge Attendees on the date an event is Completed, or on the 'Start Due Date' of an event via the Additional Billable Service Information window. Refer to the Billable Services screen topic for more details on setting up Scheduled Event Billable Services.

Cancelling a Completed Scheduled Event Associated with a Billable Service Does Not Undo Any Associated Charges

When a Billable Service is configured to charge Attendees for an event marked as 'Completed', such charges will remain in place if a user later cancels the Completed event. This is by design, because some facilities require that these charges remain valid in unusual scenarios. If a Completed event is cancelled, the Charge Manager and/or Undo Accounting Transactions screen(s) must be used to remove associated charges as needed.

Overriding Event Details

Related to the above consideration, the Override Settings tab allows facilities to restrict which data can be overridden by users for each event. This ensures facility-wide consistency for how each event will behave in the system.

Substitution Variables

Substitution variables are turned on by default on the Preferences screen, General Preferences - General Setup, '4. Use Substituation Variables in the Scheduler Comments' setting. If this preference is turned off (unchecked), then the 'Comment' field for Flag Messages and Email Reminders will be blank, unless otherwise edited to include text in Scheduler - Preferences. Some facilities prefer to use substitution variables for some events but not others, needing specific text to appear for certain events. In this case the preference setting should be left on, and 'Comments' should be modified for each event as needed on the Scheduler - Preferences screen.

Scheduler - Review Events Screen

All actions related to scheduled events performed on this screen can also be performed on the Scheduler - Review Events screen. The Scheduler - Review Events screen is Methasoft's original scheduler interface, which provides unique event filtering options not available on this screen. It is up to each user to decide which screen provides the most efficient means of scheduling and managing events.