Let’s review how to add instructions to Events. These instructions are populated in calls made to patients by including the {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase in the configured call message. 

Benefits of Event Instructions

When creating Triggers, Smart Phrases can personalize each message to its intended recipient. This can be especially useful when communicating with patients about their upcoming appointments.

Rather than create individual Triggers for each type of appointment that include specific guidelines or instructions, use the {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase to pull the instructions saved for that appointment’s Event type. 
NOTE: Event instructions do not support translations. Instructions will populate for the patient exactly as they appear in Artera Harmony Federal Edition (AHFE).

Create Event Instructions

Events in AHFE are created based on the appointment types scheduled in your EMR.

When an Event is created in AHFE, you can edit the Event to include instructions. Some Events may require patients to arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork, while others may require a patient to not eat for a specified amount of time prior to the appointment.

Let’s review how to add or edit Event instructions: 

1. Navigate to Settings > Practice Settings and select Events.

2. Select the (...) Actions menu for the Event you want to edit and choose Edit Event. NOTE: Only Manager and Enterprise Admin users can modify Events.

3. Here, add your Instructions to the Instructions field. You can also update the Event Name or Modality, as needed. 

4. The instructions can be included in automated and manually initiated phone calls to patients by incorporating the {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase within the call message.   

5. Once instructions have been added, select Save to update the Event in AHFE. 

Sample Use of Event Instructions Smart Phrase

In the following example, the Event that this patient is scheduled for, Eye Exam, has the following instructions saved in AHFE:

Remember: Event instructions do not support translations and do not respect language preferences. 

{eventInstructions} Smart Phrase: Leading Practices

• Use the {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase to reduce the number of custom appointment Triggers you need to create and maintain. By leveraging Event instructions, you can allow for a greater level of customization and specificity with fewer Triggers. 

• Events instructions should be used for information specific to that Event. If it is standard policy across all Event types to ask patients to arrive 15 minutes early to an appointment, it is more efficient to use {eventArrivalTime15}. It is a standard Smart Phrase that returns arrival time 15 minutes before appointment time. For a list of available Smart Phrases, check out this article.

• When you edit Event instructions, all future messages that contain the {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase will reflect the changes made. If calls related to that Trigger are already queued to be made prior to the change, patients will receive the original call message without the instructions. Once the Smart Phrase is added, any new calls will contain the Event information. 
  
  

FAQs

Can I enter instructions on each Event individually? Will this impact my Triggers?

Yes. We recommend adding your instructions to the Event prior to adding the {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase to your Trigger(s). There is no impact to Triggers until the Smart Phrase is added. 

What is the patient experience if a patient receives a call including the {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase but the Event Type they are scheduled for does not have instructions associated with it?

The {eventInstructions} Smart Phrase will not populate with information for the patient.