This article is part of the systems administration guide. You will require administration access to view the pages mentioned in this article.
Message Types allow you to create different types of Emails for different situations. Templates can then be associated with a Message Type, it is a multi- step process:
- Step A: Create a Message Type
- Step B: Create Templates for the Message Type
- Step C: Attachments
- Step D: Setting the Default Template to use
- Step E: Enable the Message Type
For example, you may create:
- An Email Message Type for surgery appointment reminders, called "Surgery Appointment Reminder - Email"
- Associated with this Message Type, you may have two Templates:
- A: Surgery - Type A Email Reminder - an email with fasting instructions for Surgery A
- B: Surgery - Type B Email Reminder - an email with fasting instructions for Surgery B
The steps below will take you through creating a Message Type and associated templates.
Step A: Create a Message Type
- Click Administration.
- Click Correspondence
- Click Message Types.
- Select New button.
- Fill in the fields below.
- Click Create Message Type.
Field | Description | Examples |
Category | Choose to either create a: · Patient Email Message : This is a message type that does not relate to an appointment and is for the patient. Messages of these types can be triggered to send on some system event, or they can be sent via the Patient Correspondence > New Email screen. · Appointment Email Message: This is a message that relates to an appointment. This could be triggered to send on the creation of an appointment, or as a reminder a set period before the appointment occurs. | |
Code | A unique name for the Message Type | Patient Email Messages: ·New patient Email ·Patient has not returned admission pack Appointment Email Messages: ·New Appointment - Surgery ·Appointment Reminder |
Description | A general description for the Message Type | New patient Email: "New patient Email message welcoming them to the company" |
Step B: Create Templates for the Message Type
Once the Message Type has been created, you need to create one or more Email templates that can be sent out to patients.
- Template are sets of commonly used blocks of text that are used in an email to a patient.
- Templates are version controlled - the latest version will always be used by default.
- Templates have to be Approved before they become live.
To add a Template:
- Click Administration.
- Click Correspondence
- Click Message Types.
- For the Message Type you just created, click Templates.
- Click New.
- Fill in the fields based on the table below.
- Click Create Correspondence Template.
- Click Approve - this will make it live - without approving the new version of the message will not be used.
- To Add an attachment refer to Step C below
Field | Description | Example |
Code | Code for the template | see below |
Description | Description of the SMS template | see below |
Subject | Subject of the email. It can include substitution variables | see below |
Body | SMS Message text, which can include substitution variables for patient first name, patient last name, appointment time, etc. HTML/CSS Formatting is supported. True Plain Text is not supported*. | see below |
iCal | Only available for Appointment Reminder Emails (Message Type Category) Tick to attach a iCalendar Invite to the email message. This will send a standard Calendar invite with the email, allowing the patient to add it to their Outlook, Gmail, or any standard calendar software. | True |
Step C: Attachments (This is only for Appointment Email Type)
You can add as many attachments to the email template as you like. To add an attachment to an email template:
- Click Administration.
- Click Correspondence
- Click Message Types.
- Find the Appointment Email Type and click Templates.
- Click Show and Edit.
- Fill in the fields such as Code, Description, and Subject
- In the Email Template, enter the text and website link in Body (Patient can access the link shared through email. You can use a limited number of HTML tags to format some text-based description fields.
- Click Update.
Step D: Setting the Default Template to use
After adding the Template, you must set the default template for the Message Type. If this is not done, then the Email will not appear in the list of available Email messages to send to a patient.
- Click Administration.
- Click Correspondence
- Click Message Types.
- Find the Message Type you just created, click Edit.
- Select the Template you just added from the list under Default Template.
Step E: Enable the Message Type
Once you have set the default Template, you need to Enable the Message Type. This will make it appear for users to select as a Message Type.
- Click Administration.
- Click Correspondence
- Click Message Types.
- For the Message Type you just created and click Enable.
Example Email Template
Example body and scripting:
A: Surgery Type A- Email Reminder - an email with appointment information for Surgery A, iCal invite and attachments: 1) directions, fasting info, admission pack
Code | Description | Body | iCals | Attachment |
EMAIL-REMINDER-SURG-A | Email Appointment Reminder - Surgery A | Dear, <br /><br /> This confirms your appointment on <br /> . <br /><br /> Please Fast 12 hours before your appointment. <br /><br /> Attached are the directions to the clinic. <br /><br /> Also attached is an admission pack. Please print and fill this out before you arrive at the Clinic. <br /><br /> Please call 08 8203 0550 if you have any questions. <br /><br /> Many thanks <br /><br /> Clintel Clinic | Yes | directions.pdf fasting_info.pdf admission_pack.pdf |
Substitution variables can be used in the body of the message - see below for more details. More information on using the drag and drop script builder is below.
HTML Formatting
- The body of the message supports full HTML/CSS styling.
- If you want to write an unformatted message, the only HTML you need to include is the break tag <br />.
- The break tag will create a new line in the email.
- If you do not include the break tag, then your emails will bunch and display on one line, without any line breaks.
Updating a Template
If you wish to update an email message template:
- Click Administration.
- Click Correspondence
- Click Message Types.
- Find the Message Type you just created and click Templates.
- Click Edit.
- Make any changes.
- Click Update Template.
- Click Approve - this will make it live - without approving the new version of the message will not be used.
Removing an Attachment
To ensure versioning is maintained, it is not possible to delete an email attachment once it is used to a Template. You will need to create a new Template, attach any new attachments to this template, and make it the default template:
- Click Administration.
- Click Correspondence
- Click Message Types.
- FInd the Message Type and click Templates.
- Click New.
- Fill in the fields as per above.
- Click Create.
- For the Message Type you are working with click Templates.
- Find the new template that you just created and click Show and Scroll down to Attachments.
- Click New and upload any attachments.
- For the template you just created click Approve.
- Edit on the Message Type you are working with.
- Change the default template to the Template you just created.
- Click Update.
Substitution Variables
When setting up a template, you can use Substitution variables to insert fields from the patient record. Substitution variables are denoted by double curly brackets:
Instructions on how to use Liquid can be found here: https://github.com/Shopify/liquid/wiki/Liquid-for-Designers
