While Artera maintains a permanent record of all patient communications, we understand that certain content may occasionally need to be removed from view. If you encounter inappropriate messages or images, Enterprise or Manager Users can hide them using the "Staff Safety Controls" functionality. 

Configure "Staff Safety Controls" Permission

Permissions can be configured to allow Enterprise Users or Enterprise and Manager Users to use the "Staff Safety Controls" feature. This is not available to Staff Users. 

1. Enterprise Users can adjust this permission under Enterprise Settings > Permissions.
2. From the Staff Safety Controls drop-down, indicate the minimum access level required for this permission. 
   1. Choosing Manager allows both Manager and Enterprise Users to hide messages and images.
   2. Choosing Enterprise only allows Enterprise Users to hide messages and images.
3. Select Save Permissions.

Hiding Messages and Images

Let’s review how to hide inbound images and messages within a Patient's Channel.

1. Select the three-dot menu located to the left of an inbound message in a Patient's Channel and choose Hide message.
   
   

2. The message or image will be blurred in the Patient's Channel. This will not impact the patient's view.

Viewing Hidden Messages 

Images and messages can only be unhidden by users who have the permission to hide the message or image. To unhide a message or image, select the three-dot menu located to the left of the hidden content and choose Unhide message.

Block a Spam Number

Hiding a message removes it from view for your staff. It does not stop the sender. If the same number keeps texting or calling your line(s), block the number. 

Only Enterprise Users can block and unblock numbers. A block applies to every line in your Enterprise. It cannot be limited to specific lines or Practices. A block stops texts from the number. It stops calls only on lines where Artera handles your calls. If calls to a line still go to your own phone provider, ask that provider to block the number. Messages sent to a blocked number still go out. 

NOTE: Blocking only happens in Artera. The number is not blocked with any phone carrier.

To block a number from within a Patient Channel: 

1. Open the Patient Channel with the number you want to block.
2. Select the (...) Actions menu in the upper-right corner and select Block Number.
   
3. Select Block Number again to confirm.
   

If the number belongs to a patient, the confirmation warns you first. Blocking a patient's number stops them from replying or calling into any one of your Practices, not just the conversation you are blocking the number from.

To block a number from within Settings: 

1. Open Settings from the navigation bar.
2. Under Enterprise Settings, select Blocked Numbers.
   
3. Select Block Numbers in the upper-right corner.
   
4. In the Phone Numbers field, enter the numbers your want to block. Insert one number on each line or separate them with commas, then select Block. Up to 200 numbers can be blocked at a time.
   

You cannot block your own Artera phone numbers. If you enter one, it is not blocked and a message tells you it is one of your Artera numbers used to communicate with patients.

Viewing or Unlocking Numbers

The Blocked Numbers page under Enterprise Settings lists every number blocked for your Enterprise. This includes numbers Artera blocked through a Support Case. The Blocked By column displays who blocked each number. Numbers that Artera blocked through a previous Support Case show a dash (-). The Date Blocked column displays when the block started. Use the Search field to find a number.

A block remains in place until an Enterprise User unblocks the number. Texts and calls sent while a number was blocked are not delivered. Unblocking the number does not bring them back. To unblock a number:

1. Select Unblock next to the number.
   
2. Select Unblock again to confirm.
   

When a blocked number sends a text to one of your lines, the sender receives an automatic reply. The reply tells the sender to call 911 if they have an emergency, says the line is not accepting messages from their number, and points them to your organization's phone number or website when Artera has one on file for you:

"If this is an emergency, call 911. This line is not accepting messages from your number. Please call [your organization] at [your phone number] instead."

If Artera has a website on file instead of a phone number, the reply asks the sender to contact your organization at that address. If Artera does not have a contact on file for your organization, the reply asks the sender to call their care team using the phone number on the care team's website. Submit an Artera Support Case if you want to add or change the contact that appears.

A blocked number that calls one of your lines hears a spoken message instead. It tells the caller to hang up and dial 911 in a medical emergency, says the line is not accepting calls from their number, and asks them to call their care team using the number on the care team's website. The call then ends without reaching your staff. The spoken message never names your organization's phone number or website, even when Artera has one on file.

NOTE: A blocked number that texts an opt-out, opt-in, or help keyword receives the reply for that keyword instead. A sender using a toll-free number receives a shorter reply that does not include the 911 guidance. Blocked texts and calls are never shown to your staff and are not stored.