How To Transform Patient Scheduling: 7 MEDITECH 2.2 Features

As healthcare organizations strive for efficiency and improved patient care, enhancements to scheduling systems play a pivotal role. The latest updates to Community-Wide Scheduling (CWS) in MEDITECH Expanse 2.2 offer a range of features designed to streamline operations, enhance user experience, and improve appointment management. 

As a healthcare organization are you taking advantage of these new functions? 

1. Attach Hold Queue Orders to Existing Scheduled Appointments (Patient Mode)

This feature allows users to select orders from the Hold Queue and link them to appointments already in a Booked or Waitlisted status. This enhancement reduces redundancy and streamlines the scheduling workflow. 

Key Details: 

• Error Handling: When multiple orders are selected, any order selected in error can be removed by highlighting it and clicking the X located in the lower-left corner of the block. 
• Pending Appointments: If any of the selected orders are associated with a Pending Appointment, the "Select an Existing Appointment" option becomes unavailable. Instead, the Edit Pending Appointment screen is launched to schedule the appointment. 
• Single-Patient Limitation: Users cannot select orders for more than one patient simultaneously from the Hold Queue Worklist when linking to an existing appointment. 

Bottom line: Use this feature to help minimize scheduling errors and supports efficient management of patient appointments. 

2. Appointment Dictionary Changes to Support Direct Appointment Booking

The Appointment dictionary has been updated with three new fields on the Resource page, enabling the direct booking of patient appointments through third-party applications and the Meditech Patient Health Portal. These fields provide greater flexibility and integration capabilities. 

Key Details: 

• Exclusive to Patient-Type Appointments: These fields are only applicable to patient appointments and cannot be used for Meetings or Group Appointments. 
• Location-Specific Configurations: Appointment locations can be individually configured, providing tailored solutions for different operational needs. 

Bottom line: Use this enhancement to streamline the booking process if your health system is using external systems or patient portals for appointments. 

3. Visual Indicator for Appointments Requiring Verification

Appointments flagged as requiring verification are now visually distinguished by a unique icon. This feature simplifies the identification of such appointments for schedulers. 

Key Details: 

• Icon Display: The visual indicator is tied to settings defined in the Resource page of the Appointment dictionary. 
• Efficient Identification: Schedulers can quickly identify and prioritize appointments needing verification, improving accuracy and reducing delays. 

Bottom line: Help schedulers work more efficiently with this at-a-glance feature that will help prevent potential delays for patients, too. 

4. Copy/Paste Ability for No Show Appointments

Previously, schedulers were unable to copy and paste No Show appointments from the scheduling grid without altering their status. This enhancement introduces improved flexibility and workflow efficiency. 

Key Details:

• Retained Status: No Show appointments can now be copied and pasted without changing their status to "Booked." 
• Streamlined Workflow: This feature reduces manual effort and simplifies rescheduling or managing No Show appointments. 
• Bottom line: Educate schedulers on this feature and help reduce clicks and frustration. 

5. AMB Order Query Responses Flow to Appointment Booking Screen Queries

This enhancement ensures that query responses entered on Ambulatory Orders automatically flow to their corresponding queries on the Appointment Booking Screen (CDS). It reduces manual data entry and maintains data consistency. 

Key Details: 

• Automated Data Transfer: When a scheduler selects an order from the Hold Queue to book an appointment, provider-entered query values populate the shared fields on the booking screen. 
• Shared Query Management: This feature aligns the data between the provider’s order entry and the scheduler’s appointment booking process. 

Bottom line: Expanse 2.2 offers automated data flow that supports the continuity of patient care, and this scheduling feature is one example of that. 

6. Controls for Orders Based on Appointment Status

New fields in the Appointment Group and Appointment dictionaries provide enhanced control over orders linked to appointments. These settings help organizations manage workflows associated with No Show, Pending, and Rebook statuses. 

Key Details: 

• No Show Activity: 
  • Added to the Appointment Group dictionary. 
  • Configurable values: "No Request" or "Stop." 
  • Applied to all appointments within the selected appointment group.
  • Precedence: The setting in the Appointment dictionary overrides the Appointment Group dictionary. 

• Pending/Rebook Activity: 
  • A new field has been added to the Appointment Group dictionary (Main Page) and the Appointment dictionary (Orders Page). 
  • Configurable values: "No Request" or "Stop." 
  • Precedence: The Appointment dictionary setting takes priority over the Appointment Group dictionary. 

Bottom line: These enhancements offer greater flexibility and control in managing order workflows tied to appointment statuses. 

7. Color Coding for Appointments on Resource Grid

Color coding for appointments has been extended to the Resource and Scheduling grids, providing a visual representation of different appointment types and statuses. 

Key Details: 

• Applicable Appointment Types: 
  • Patient Appointments 
  • CWS Meetings 
  • Group Appointments 

• Custom Colors: Configured using the "Color for Grid Display" field on the Appointment dictionary. 

• Precedence: Settings in the Appointment dictionary override those in the Appointment Group dictionary. 

• Reservation Colors: 
  • Standard colors (Yellow for booking factor 1, Tan for greater booking factors) apply to reservations until converted to booked appointments, at which point custom colors are used. 

• Limitations: 
  • Group appointment color coding appears only in the Resource grid and not on the Group Booking desktop

Bottom line: Take advantage of this feature to establish consistent use of color to clarify and simplify communication about appointment scheduling.  

Next Steps 

In the fast-paced environment of healthcare, efficient scheduling is essential to allow for seamless operations and high-quality patient care. MEDITECH Expanse 2.2 Scheduling enhancements are a powerful tool for organizations looking to optimize their scheduling processes, for a single facility or across a multi-facility network.  

At CereCore, we specialize in mapping, loading, and validating MEDITECH Scheduling enhancements tailored to your organization's unique needs. Our team works closely with clients of all sizes to standardize scheduling processes across their enterprises, fostering consistency and efficiency. Our approach ensures that scheduling capabilities are seamlessly integrated across facilities. 

Discover how your organization can maximize the benefits of MEDITECH Scheduling enhancements. Whether you're setting up new functionalities or ensuring flawless integration across facilities, our experts are here to help. 

More resources for you 

• Streamline Clinical Workflows with MEDITECH Expanse 2.2: A How-to Guide  
• MEDITECH Expanse 2.1 To 2.2: What Will Nurses Think? 
• Assess your current MEDITECH EHR. Uncover areas for workflow optimization and better user experience.