Payment is due. These PitStops can be configured ‘on the fly’ – you can schedule one months in advance or
just a few minutes before it should trigger.
To access and configure Personal PitStops, open the Patient file you would like to work with. Refer to the
Patient section of the User Manual for details on the Patient Search. Two basic methods to open a Patient file
are to click on the Patient name in the Appointment Matrix or to use the FIND button to search your Patient
database.
The Personal PitStop button is located in the upper right corner of Atlas, see the image.
The Personal PitStop screen is organized into two main sections: the upper portion displays PitStops already
programmed on the Patient account and the lower section is for creating new PitStops. There is also a third
portion, accessible by clicking on a programmed PitStop, for editing or deleting PitStops.
To begin programming a Personal PitStop, click on the ADD button located in the bottom navigation area.
Notice in our image, the ADD button has already been clicked since it now shows the PitStop creation options.
Options and Settings:
- Message Type: predefined templates used to quickly setup PitStop Messages. These templates can be configured in the System Settings screen (see System PitStop Type section for more details).
- On Visit #: personal PitStops can be configured to trigger on a Patient’s specific visit count – enter the visit number in this box making note of the Patient’s current visit count (next box) and where that number is counting from (patient’s first visit or care start date).
NOTE: the option for counting from Patient’s first visit or Care Start date is setup in the System Settings screen (see System PitStop Type section for more details). - Effective Date: personal PitStops can be configured to trigger on a specific date by clicking in this box and selecting the date from the calendar. You can also schedule a personal Pitstop to trigger the ‘next visit’ (or next time the Patient arrives in the clinic). This is an effective option for Patients who don’t have an appointment scheduled or for messages that need to be displayed whenever the Patient arrives next, into the clinic.
- Repeat Monthly: when a specific date is selected, the user has the option to repeat the PitStop each month on the selected date. This option is useful for reminding a Patient their monthly Payment is due.
- Repeat Every Visit: this check option will repeat the PitStop every time a Patient arrives in the system.
- End Date: if the ‘Repeat Monthly’ option is selected, the End Date needs to be set to effectively stop the PitStop from triggering.
- Stop Patient: if this box is checked the ‘Patient Text’ box will be visible and editable. The Patient Text will display to the Patient on the Sign-In screen. This message will alert the Patient of a PitStop with your programmed text. By default it directs the Patient to ‘Please see Receptionist’. This can be overwritten in the Message Type or when programming the PitStop.
NOTE: take consideration of the text that is displayed at the Sign-In screen. While you want to give the Patient details about the PitStop message, in certain situations it is better just to direct them to the Front Desk (for privacy concerns). - Hold in Queue: if you are using the Calling Feature in Atlas, you can ‘hold’ a Patient from being called to a table using this checkbox. This is useful if the PitStop is a Payment reminder (stopping the Patient from potentially getting adjusted and walking out the door without making the Payment), special Visit Reminder (so the Patient can fill out paperwork or be directed to a specific area) and more.
NOTE: any ‘hold’ on the Patient will take precedence in the System. - Patient Text: when the ‘Stop Patient’ option is checked, the Patient Text box is visible. Text entered into this box will be displayed on the Sign -In screen when the Patient arrives. Consider the text that is entered in here for security and personal information. This text can be pre-programmed with different PitStop Message Types or can be overwritten ‘on-the-fly’.
- CHA Text: this is the text that will be displayed to the CA (Front Desk) when the PitStop is triggered.
NOTE: the CHA Text is the most important part of the PitStop – it is the reminder for the staff as to why the Patient is receiving the PitStop message. Take consideration to be precise with this text, yet brief to ensure any staff viewing the CHA Text can understand it without taking up lots of space on the screen. The CHA Text will display in the PitStop window on each computer configured to receive PitStops.
See the ‘Display on CHAS’ section for more details.
To Edit or Delete a Personal PitStop:
Configured PitStop messages (that haven’t triggered yet) will be displayed in the upper section grid. It will
show the effective date (or blank for ‘next visit’ PitStops), the CHA text and Patient text and the Stop or Hold
status. To EDIT or DELETE one of the messages, click on the CHA Message text area. In the box that opens,
EDIT the details as necessary or click DELETE to remove the PitStop.
VTC PitStop Option:
Personal PitStops can also be configured to display on the VTC when a Patient signs into a VTC computer
(adjusting table).
VTC PitStops DO NOT display text to the Front Desk (CA) or to the Patient.
VTC PitStops only display their message to the Provider, at their discretion, at the VTC computer.
Verify the correct Patient is active in the ‘For Patient’ field.
Choose when to trigger the PitStop message :
- On a specific Visit Count number
- On a specific Date or the Patients next visit (by clicking in the Effective Date box and choosing on the calendar)
Use the VIEW PENDING button to view previously created VTC PitStops.
To Edit or Delete a VTC PitStop:
Configured VTC PitStop messages will not be readily displayed in the PitStop window. To access them, click on
the VTC PitStop button and then click the VIEW PENDING button. The new window will allow you to edit
existing PitStop messages or delete them.
This will only work for messages that HAVE NOT been triggered yet.