Adding email appointment reminders to Oscar is easy.
Our current implementation uses a Report by Template (on the Admin, oscarReport menu) that exports patient names and email addresses from the Appointment file. The data is used in an OpenOffice/LibreOffice Mail-merge that sends out the reminders. The following notes describe the process in detail.
The Report Template is:
<report title=”Appointment Reminder Email List” description=”List of Emails for Appointment Reminders” active=”1″>
<query>select dem.email as Email,
DATE_FORMAT(app.appointment_date,’%d/%m/%Y’) as Date, TIME_FORMAT(app.start_time,’%h:%i %p’) as Time, prov.last_name as Doctor,
dem.last_name as Lastname, dem.first_name as Firstname
from appointment app, demographic dem, provider prov
where LOCATE(‘@’, dem.email ) > 2
and appointment_date >= ‘{start}’ and appointment_date <= ‘{finish}’
and app.demographic_no = dem.demographic_no
and app.provider_no = prov.provider_no
order by app.appointment_date, app.provider_no, app.start_time ;
</query>
<param id=”start” type=”date” description=”Start date”> </param>
<param id=”finish” type=”date” description=”Finish date”> </param>
</report>
You can run the query for the following week and save the CSV file to your local PC. The first time you run the mail merge, you will have to setup the CSV as a LibreOffice/OpenOffice database and configure your email account (see below).
The next step is to write your message template and use that as a Mail-merge to Email.
Sample email template:
This is a system generated e-mail reminder. <<last_name>> <<first_name>> has an appointment with Dr. <<Doctor>> on <<Date>> at <<Time>>. Should there be a need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please note we require 24hr notification at (514) 555-1212. Please note there is a $40 charge for missed appointments. Ceci est un rappel automatisé par courriel. <<last_name>> <<first_name>> a un rendez-vous avec Dr. <<Doctor>> le <<Date>> à <<Time>>. Veuillez nous aviser de tout changement ou cancellation au plus tard 24 heures avant l'heure prévue du rendez-vous au (514)555-1234. Des frais de $40 seront perçus pour tous les rendez-vous manqués. This e-mail may be privileged and/or confidential, and the sender does not waive any related rights and obligations. Any distribution, use or copying of this e-mail or the information it contains by other than an intended recipient is unauthorized. If you received this e-mail in error, please advise us (by return e-mail or otherwise) immediately. Ce courrier électronique est confidentiel et protégé. L'expéditeur ne renonce pas aux droits et obligations qui s'y rapportent. Toute diffusion, utilisation ou copie de ce message ou des renseignements qu'il contient par une personne autre que le (les) destinataire(s) désigné(s) est interdite. Si vous recevez ce courrier électronique par erreur, veuillez nous en aviser immédiatement, par retour de courrier électronique ou par un autre moyen.