How do Oasis Recalls work?

The Oasis PMS allows practices to have up to 9 recall types.

In a Dental practice, there are usually two main types - Doctor and Hygienist - although some practices only have the one - Doctor.

There are certain triggers in the software that can assign a recall to a patient. 

1. After Invoicing the patient, you may be prompted to recall the patient.
2. The Invoice itself may trigger a recall based on items billed.
3. The user can call up the patient's recall screen and create a recall record there.

In addition, Oasis offers an "automated recall process" where there are numerous follow-up attempts to recall patients once their initial recall has been processed.

Unlike other PMS systems, the Oasis recall date is not static. When a patient is given a recall, if you choose to update the recall (or use the automated recall system) the recall date is actually shifted forward in time.

You can operate the Oasis recall system manually, or you can automate it.

Simple Setup - Manual Recalls

Select Preferences, My Money, Recall Names. This will present a screen showing the recall types defined for your practice.

In this sample, we have the one recall type - Dentist.

Of note in this screen are Fields 12 and 13 where the default recall days and status code are set. Whenever a new patient is added to Oasis, they will inherit the default days and status code from this setting. There is a second page to this preference table where an update status code and number of days can be set. The update status code and number of days is important if you intend to use the update feature in the List Recall screen. There will be more on that later.

In addition to the Recall Names table, there is a Status Code table where you can define the behaviour of different status codes, including setting update codes and actions if patient contact methods are missing.

In this simple setup, we have status codes for SMS messages, emails, letters and good old fashioned telephone calls.

On the second tab of the patient card, you will see the patient's default recall settings - based on the Recall Names table entry. At this point, you could alter the patient's default recall to whatever suites that patient. If they prefer email, change the status code to "E". If they only want a recall every 12 months, change the days to "365". You need to Edit the patient card to make changes to the recall entries.

Whilst in Edit mode, double click the Dentist recall and the entry window will display above. Make the necessary changes and then click the Apply button - then OK to save the Patient Card.

You now have a Dentist recall, and a default recall value for your patient.

Now to give them a recall.

Method 1 - Following an Invoice.

Raise an invoice for the patient and post it to their account. You may be prompted to take a payment for the invoice, or you may be presented with the Recall window - it depends on your invoice workstation settings.

As we only have one recall type, there is only one column headed "Dentist Recall". In that column, you can see the patient's default recall settings. To record a recall for the patient, select the Patient Recall option.

You will see the date and status entered in the window based on the patient's default settings. In this case "12-03-2020" and "S" for SMS message. Click OK to save the recall record.

Method 2 - Use Item Codes to trigger the recall.

To use this method, you will need to assign a recall number to each item code that should trigger a recall - 012, 114 etc.

Select Preferences, My Money, Item Codes and Fees and then select the item code you want to use. Edit the item code and on the second tab of the item code, update field #28 WITH THE RECALL NUMBER.

As we only have the one recall, we will add number 1. Once added, click OK to save the change. Repeat this for all other items you want to trigger a recall.

Now, whenever a patient is invoiced any of these items, a default recall will be created based on their default recall setting.

Method 3 - select the patient recall window directly

At any time, you can select the patient's recall window from the Oasis Toolbar, or the My Money main menu. Just select the Recall option.

This will load the same window you see when prompted after an invoice. You can click the Patient Recall option and OK to save the recall, or you could use the Patient System option to use the default value stored against the Recall Names table (if it is different to the patient's own recall default). You can also recall whole families if you want from this screen.

Now we have given the patient a recall, how do we actually process it?

As you assign recalls to your patients, a list of patients with recalls is being generated within Oasis. This list is accessed through the "Other" menu on the Oasis menu bar. Select Other, List Recalls and the recall list screen is displayed.

This screen shows all patients due for a recall between the Start Date and the End Date shown at the top left. Depending on your setup, you will probably see a week or month's worth of recalls starting at today's date. As we only have the one recall type, it will be ticked and be displaying only recalls for that type. In the Status Code box, you will be able to select a particular status in order to process the recalls for that status. In the Usual Doctor box, you will be able to select a specific doctor if required. By default, Oasis will exclude patients that have been flagged as Incomplete Treatment patients, those that are inactive, and those that have a future appointment already. You can toggle off or on these options as required.

Processing the recalls involves selecting the appropriate Status Code and then selecting the matching menu option at the top of the window. For example, if you want to send SMS messages, select the "S" status code from the Recall Status Code box, and then select the SMS option from the menu.

This will display a processing window where you can select a form to be used (it will already have one defined if you have declared the form in the Recall Names table) and you just click OK to send the recalls.

Once you have processed the recalls, the colour of the recall will change to magenta, indicating that they have been processed.

At this point, you can either leave the recalls as they are, or you can choose to Update them.If you choose to update them, the update process will "move" the recalls from their current date and status to a future date based on the number of days set in the update days for the status code (shown on tab 2 of the Recall Names table for the primary status). The update process will set the recalls into the future with a new status code. They will also no longer be marked as sent (magenta). As you continue to process recalls from the Recall List screen, you will eventually get to the future date and be able to process a follow-up recall for the patients based on the new status code. For example, "S" could be updated to "S1" so that you can associate a different SMS message to the second recall that you send (and you know that this is the second recall for that patient).

The other alternative is that you leave the recalls as they are and don't update. If you choose this method, you will have to work back in time to monitor your recalls. For example, you could change the start date to 6 months ago and any patients listed in the Recall List (in magenta) will have had a recall sent, but most likely will not have responded as their recall has not been updated (no invoice has been raised or item code billed to trigger a new recall for them - and no future appointment has been made).

Automated Recalls

To improve recall effectiveness and to relieve the burden of having to process recalls manually, Oasis also offers an automated recall process. This process follows a "best practice" for optimum recall effectiveness and involves sending a range of recall contacts via SMS, email and mailing house letters and postcards.

This is the Best Practice Recall Schedule

As you can see, there are seven contact points. If the patient has a mobile phone number, email address and postal address, they will get an SMS on the due date, and email 30 days later, a letter 60 days later, another email 210 days later, another SMS 365 days later, another two emails at 730 and 1095 days respectively. If any of the contact methods are missing for the patient, the automated system will switch contact methods based on the table above. Automated recalls also can make use of EasyPost, eliminating the requirement to manually arrange mailing of recall letters / postcards. The automated process can truly have no manual intervention.

To make the configuration of the automated recalls as simple as possible, Oasis has provides a "wizard" (System Manager, Wizards, Recall Automation) that guides you through the setup process. 

There is a separate manual that describes the wizard in detail.