How Messages Work for Patients
Your patients can message your care team about their non-urgent medical questions directly from within the Patient Care Journey app.
In the web version of the app, patients can send messages by navigating to Messages on the main left side navigation bar. They can click on the + button at the top of the list view to compose a message. A Message Type modal appears that enables the patient to choose the message type they want to send.
To send a message to a provider and their communication team, the patient chooses Medical Question. Patients are instructed to use this messaging channel for only non-urgent questions. For urgent questions, they are instructed to call 911 or their provider. After choosing Medical Question, the patient clicks Next.
A list of providers on the patient’s Care Team is displayed. the patient chooses one and clicks Next.
A New Message modal appears on which the patient can write their message and then click Send. Patients can’t add attachments to this message, but they can add them later in this message thread that they have initiated.
The patient will see the message thread that they’ve started with the provider:
The patient can now add an attachment by clicking on the attachment icon in the lower right corner, navigating to an image on their computer, and uploading it.
The name of the attachment will appear with a paper clip icon in the message thread.
The patient can click on the attachment to view it.
In iOS, Apple’s HEIC format automatically converts the image to JPEG. On desktop, the patient or provider can only send an image that is in JPEG or PDF format, which are the only file formats that EHRs allow patients and providers to share. The maximum file size is 5 mb.
When the patient clicks Send, the image will be attached in the EHR to an encounter created for the provider in the Provider app, so the provider can see the image as an attachment that has been added to the patient’s message. The provider can click on the attachment, and respond to the message.
After choosing to create a new message, patients also can select other types of messages:
Customer Support - After a patient chooses this, a modal appears allowing them to choose Billing, Scheduling, or Tech Support.
If a patient chooses Billing, and then Next, their question will be sent to the Billing team or department to answer.
If they choose Scheduling, their message will go to a team tasked with answering Scheduling questions.
If they choose Tech Support, the message will go to the Tech Support team.
In the New Message modal that appears after the patient clicks Next, they can compose a message to the appropriate team and send it.
These categories will only be visible as choices if your organization opts to use them and works with Tendo Customer Engagement to set up the communications teams to receive messages in each category.
Whatever category a patient chooses will be among categories that a provider can filter for in the Provider app.
Medication Request
This messaging category is for patients to request refills and renewals of their medication.
Online Scheduling
If patients choose Online Scheduling - Care Team Appointment, they will be taken to a modal where they can choose a member of their care team and then enter the Schedule Appointment flow to schedule an appointment with that provider.
