This article will help you understand and configure Appointment Screening, enabling you to flag certain types of appointments attempting to be booked based on trigger words and present a custom message to the client.
How to Locate Appointment Screening
Appointment Screening configuration can be found in Settings > Personalisation > Appointment Screening.
To Add a new Appointment Screening Filter
To add a new Appointment Screening filter, click the 'Add New Filter Button' bottom left of your screen.
Appointment Screening Fields
There are 5 settings to each Appointment Screening filter, and you can setup as many Appointment Screening Filters as you wish.
- Type
- Keywords
- Appointment types
- Display Message
- Caption for "ignore" check-box
Let us look at each one of these fields individually:
Type
The Type option is a drop-down selection between two options which will determine the action the booking tool will take:
- Informative: Will present your display message to the client at booking confirmation and not interrupt the client from booking.
- Preventive: Will interrupt your client booking and present your display message to the client at the point they enter one of your trigger words into the appointment reason box.
Keywords
Keywords are the 'trigger' words when a client types into the Appointment Reason field that will initiate your filter. Each keyword should be separated by a "," and you should include as many misspellings of the word that your clients may use to ensure you capture as many eventualities as you can.
Appointment types
Display Message
The Display Message is what text will be presented to your client when booking an appointment with one of your keywords entered into the Appointment Reason box.
Caption for "ignore" check-box
The Caption for "ignore" check-box is the text which will appear on the screen in front of the client next to a check-box which the client will need to click to allow continuation of booking. Note: If you are using an Informative Type, then this option will not be available and show as N/A.
Examples
Here are a couple of examples of Preventive and Informative Appointment Screening Filter configurations. Note the deliberate misspellings of words such as 'diarrhoea'.
Copy And Paste Keywords and Display Messages for you to use
Preventative:
Keyword | Display Message | Caption for "ignore" check-box |
| operation, surgery, surgeries, op, removal, excision, stitch, suture, neuter, neutering, castration, spey, spay, ovario-hysterectomy, ovariectomy, fixed, spaded, neuted, castrate, vasectomy, xray, x-ray, xrays, x-rays, radiograph, ultrasound, cherry eye, BOAS, c-section, csection, ceasarian, caesarian, ceasar, caesar, entropian, | You appear to be booking an appointment for a surgical procedure, which may only be booked by the practice directly. Please call us on {{telephone_number}} | No, this is not for a surgery. |
| dental, tooth, teeth, scale, scaling, descale, tartar, polish, extraction, extract | You appear to be booking an appointment for a possible dental procedure, which may only be booked by the practice directly. Please call us on {{telephone_number}} | No, this is not for dental procedure. |
| blood, bleeding, bled, bloody, cut, laceration, limping, can't walk, not moving, lethargic, not eating, bite, fight, attacked, collapse, staggering, drunk, crying, bloat, bloated gdv, distended, hbc, hit by car, rta, broken, fracture, seizure, seizuring, fit, fitting, blocked, spraying, can't pee, can't urinate, unable to pee, unable to urinate, not peeing, straining, litter tray, hot, swelling, swollen, panting, breathing broken, dying, broke, not eating, sick, ill, fell, limp, not moving, urgent, emergency, collapsed, poison, chocolate, bloated, breathing, breaths, laboured breathing, eyes, eye, wound, cut, bleed, whelping, rat, raisin, raisins, grape, grapes, onion, onions, freeze spray, antifreeze, birth, blue, snake, spider, tick, choking, gagging, unconscious, stroke, straining, green discharge, caesarean, cs section, vomiting, vomit, sick, seizures, retching, epilepsy, epileptic, flu, | You appear to be booking an appointment for a possible emergency. Please call us immediately on {{telephone_number}} | No, this is not an emergency. |
| euthanasia, euth, euthanise, euthanase, put to sleep, pts, put down, dying, end of life, quality of life, palliative care | You appear to be booking an appointment for a quality of life discussion, which may only be booked by the practice directly. Please call us on {{telephone_number}} | No, this is not for quality of life discussion. |
| Rabies, passport, AHC, Animal Health Certificate, certificate, travel, abroad, holiday, pet passport, travelling, vacation | Please note, due to the complex regulations, Animal Health Certificates need to be booked directly through the practice. Please do call us on {{telephone}}. | No, I am not booking an appointment for an Animal Health Certificate. |
| pregnancy. pregnancy scan, scan, PET, pregnancy, pregnant, scan, ultrasound, US, reproduction, litter, babies, echography, sonography, ultrasonography, ultra, ultra sound, ultra sounds, ultrasound | You appear to be booking an appointment for a reproductive appointment, which may only be booked by the practice directly. Please call us on {{telephone_number}} | No, this is not for a reproductive appointment. |
| vaccine, vaccination, vaccinations, injection, injections, inj, jab, jabs, yearly, annual, booster, vacc, vax | Please note; if your cat requires an annual booster vaccination we are experiencing a Europe-wide shortage and can not accommodate the request at present. Please call us on {{telephone_number}} to discuss. | No, this is not for a Cat Annual Vaccination. |
Informative:
| Keyword | Display Message |
| poo, pooing, faeces, faecal, stools, stool, loose, motions, bowel, bowels, diarrhoea, diarhoea, diarrhe, diarrhea, diarehia, D++, dihrehrea, dihrea | If your pet suffers from diarrhoea, it would be very helpful if you could bring a fresh stool sample at the time of the appointment. Please note, if your pet has had multiple episodes of diarrhoea, or is generally unwell, please call us directly for an appointment on {{telephone_number}}. |
| urine, urinary, bladder, blader, wee, weeing, pee , peeing, cystitis, incontinent, urinating | If your pet suffers from a urinary problem, it would be very helpful if you could bring a fresh urine sample at the time of the appointment. If your pet is unable to urinate, please call us immediately on {{telephone_number}}. |
| cough, KC, kennel cough, coughing, retching, wretching, reaching, hoarse, horse, | You appear to be booking an appointment for a suspected infectious cough. Please call us on arrival and remain outside/in your vehicle with your dog and we will attend to you at the time of your appointment. |
| bird, flu, avian, influenza cold, swollen head, dosed eyes, runny eyes lying down, unresponsive, uncoordinated, head shaking, body shaking breathing difficulties, mouth breathing | Attention bird owners: Following recent outbreaks of Avian Influenza across the UK we have implemented strict biosecurity protocols which include an initial examination and triage outside the practice. Please call us on your arrival, {{telephone_number}}, and remain outside and in your vehicle with your feathered friend and the Vet will come out to you. Further information can be found here; https:/www.gov.uk/bird flu |
Informative Type Message to Client
Below is an example of what an Informative Type configuration looks to the client. This appears after the appointment has been booked at the confirmation screen.
Preventive Type Message to Client
Below is an example of what the above Preventive Type configuration looks like to the client. This appears as soon as the client has entered one of your keywords into the Appointment Reason box. Note the check-box the client needs to tick to confirm it is not for surgery and to allow a continuation of booking.
Appointment Screening Rules can be applied to a specific appointment type. This feature has the ability to apply the rule to 'All' Appointment Types, or a selection of them
Appointment Screening Rules can be applied to a specific appointment type
This feature has the ability to apply the rule to 'All' Appointment Types, or a selection of them.
Once a new appointment screening rule is created, a rule (preventive or informative) will either apply to all appointment types or a specific (one or more) appointment type based on the pet owner selection.
If the pet owner has entered the Keywords AND has entered them in a matching appointment type as configured, then the rule will be executed to display the ‘Display Message’
If multiple rules apply due to the keywords, then Vetstoria will show multiple display messages that the pet owners must confirm via the ignore box on each one individually to proceed.
Note: ‘Hidden’ appointment types will not show.
Appointment screening rules can now be applied to Digital Marketing Links
In addition to the above, you can define appointment screening rules per each digital marketing link that is created within the platform as well. The digital marketing links will appear at the end of the list after the alphabetically ordered appointment types as shown below.
To Delete an Appointment Screening Filter
On the far right-hand side of the Appointment Screening row, is a small trash can. Click this to delete this filter.
Saving your Changes
After making any changes to your Appointment Screening filters, remember to click the Save Changes button, bottom right, or, if you have made a mistake, click Reset.
If you have any questions or if you need further help, please login to Vetstoria to chat with our team or use the Contact Support form linked at the top of this page.
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