Introduction

The Oasis PMS has a messaging system that allows users to send messages from one workstation to another. This can be a simple text message that the recipient can view in the messages box in the Oasis application, or as a Sticky Note that will appear on the Windows desktop. Sticky Notes are reliant on the Oasis application being open for the recipient user on a workstation, but not necessarily having focus. Messages (and Sticky Notes) are able to be sent from one branch user to another where Oasis is installed in a multi-branch scenario.
Where Oasis is set to use "winsocket" messaging, port 6696 must be open (in firewall and A/V software) on both sending and recipient PCs.
Sticky Notes can be sent on an ad-hoc basis between Oasis users or can be generated by associating a specific note to a patient record and/or to an event that occurs within Oasis. These events can trigger the display of a sticky note for that patient when the event occurs regardless of user accessing the patient record. The Oasis Task Manager can also generate Sticky Notes where reminders are sent to users (in the form of a sticky note) at a specific date and time declared in the task.
For messaging (and Sticky Notes) to work, Oasis must be open on each recipient workstation.

Ad-Hoc Sticky Notes

To send an Ad-Hoc sticky note, click the Messages option at the bottom of the Oasis Patient Card.

This will display the following screen.

The messages window has a number of sections. Branches, Recipients, Security Groups and specific workstations can be selected in the upper section. In a single branch practice, you only need select a recipient/s in the central upper list.
Then sending a Sticky Note is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

This will send a Sticky Note to FDESK. It will appear at the top left of their Windows desktop. (In the illustration below, the Oasis Patient Card has focus).

In this illustration, the name of the currently selected patient on the senders PC will be displayed in the body of the Sticky Note. You can suppress the display of the patient name", if required, by selecting the "Suppress Patient Details" box at the top of the Messages window.

Patient-Related Sticky Notes

Oasis also allows you to associate a Sticky Note to a patient record. These notes can be simply for viewing on the patient card, or for prompting users when specific events occur in Oasis.

In the Sticky Note window, you will see a listing of "events" that will trigger the display of a Sticky Note. The message to be displayed can be entered into the Message box, or selected from the pre-defined messages at the right. There is also the option to have the Sticky Note only displayed from a specific date.

Events

Family Head / Family Member

The event list will vary between Family Head and Family Member, mainly related to financial events. As all "account" information is stored against the Family Head, financial events are only available to them.
Ticking one (or more) of the event boxes, will cause Oasis to display the nominated Sticky Note when that event occurs from the "popup" date nominated (the popup date defaults to today's date).
The Sticky Note section of the patient card will display the content of the Sticky Note, and the event which will trigger its display.

Note: you do not have to associate a Sticky Note to an event. It can simply be used as a note displayed on the patient card for reference. You can also use colours to draw attention to the note.

Task Manager Sticky Notes

Sticky Notes can also be generated from the Oasis Task Manager. Tasks in the Task manager can have a prompt to create a sticky note reminder at a given date and time.

Creating a task with an action date/time and the reminder box checked, will cause Oasis to display a Sticky Note at the appointed date/time for the nominated user.

Sticky Note Recipient Options

Once a Sticky Note displays, the recipient has a number of options they can choose.

They can choose to Edit/Reply Note. This will display the following Edit/Reply window.

Edit/Reply Note
To edit the note, make the appropriate changes and click the "Save Changes" option. To reply to the sender of the note, type your response into the Reply Text field and select the "Send Reply" option. You can also choose to change the colour of the note (or reply note) if required.
Copy to Clipboard
The "Copy to Clipboard" option does just that – copies the content of the note to the Windows Clipboard. This could be useful for copying the contents of the note to a patient's clinical notes or to a word processing document.
Keep Note On Top
The "Keep Note On Top" option will attempt to keep the Sticky Note visible whether Oasis has focus or not on your Windows desktop. If you were to open another Windows application, the Sticky Note should remain visible on the desktop.
Read Patient
"Read Patient" option allows the recipient to read-in the patient specified in the Sticky Note. The patient then becomes their currently selected patient. The note itself is removed.
Read Patient (Retain Note)
"Read Patient (Retain Note)" This option is the same as the "Read Patient" option, but the note remains visible.
Remove Note
"Remove Note" option will remove the Sticky Note from the desktop.
Remove Note Entirely
"Remove Note Entirely" will remove the note display and also remove the note from the patient card record (where the note has been triggered from the patient card). For example, you may set up a patient Sticky Note to be triggered whenever the Patient Card is shown (for that patient). If you just remove the note, the next time the patient card is shown (for that patient), the Sticky Note will re-appear. If you choose the "Remove Note Entirely" option, the note will be removed and the entry in PBSTICKY for the patient will also be removed. There won't be any further Sticky Notes when the Patient Card is shown.
Retain Note and Exit
"Retain Note and Exit" has a subtle difference to the "Remove Note" option in that the note will re-display the next time the recipient logs into Oasis (if they choose this option).

Messages

The messaging system is similar to the Sticky Note system but the messages are restricted to display only in the Oasis application. When the "Messages" option is selected (in place of the Sticky Note option), the text will be sent to the Message box on the Oasis front screen.

When the recipient clicks the message, a menu of options is displayed.

Delete
This option deletes the message. Simples.
Read Patient
Allows the recipient to read-in the patient from the message. That patient then becomes the recipient's currently selected patient.
Complete Invoicing
As many surgery-based systems need invoicing to be processed at reception (to allow for electronic claiming systems), there is an option to go directly to the invoicing screen for the patient who is the subject of the message.
Enter Payment
Again, as many surgery-based systems need financial transactions to be dealt with at reception, this option allows the recipient to go directly to the payment screen for the patient who is the subject of the message.
Print Statement
Allows the recipient to print a statement for the Family Head of the message subject.
View Financial History
Allows the recipient to view the financial history of the Family Head of the message subject.

Make Appointment
Allows the recipient to go directly to the appointment book with the message patient as the currently selected patient.
View Correspondence
Allows the recipient to view the patient correspondence window directly.
Reply to Message
The Reply to message option will pop the message window as follows.

The recipient section will already have the sender's ID selected. All you need to do is enter the response message and click the Message option at the top.

Technical Overview

The Oasis Sticky Notes system makes use of the following:

Database table PBSTICKY.DBF - Stores patient-related sticky note content – these are the Sticky Notes that appear on the Patient Card under the Patient Photo area.
Database table PATSKLST - Stores Task Manager sticky note triggers – these are tasks in the Task Manager that have an "action date" and a send reminder flag.
StickyNotes folder under the OASIS share
MyStickyNote.exe and MyStickyLauncher.exe – These applications are invoked whenever a trigger or action is detected.
.LOG files stored in the c:\oasis folder – used for diagnosis purposes.
.STK and .STT files stored in the oasis\stickynotes folder – these files have the details of sender/recipient and other information (STK) and the actual text of the Sticky Note (STT).

This is a snapshot of the oasis\stickynotes folder under the Oasis share. You can see examples of STK and STT files, together with text documents that have a record of all sticky note activity for the practice. The zeros preceding the user name identifies the branch to which the user belongs (in this case branch zero)

This is a sample from one of the text files showing the activity for that user. It shows date and time received, from whom it came, and the actual text sent.

This is a sample STK file showing information about the sender, recipient, message file, position on the screen, colour, patient ID (and name) and whether the note is visible or not.