Patient follow-up scheduling

**Purpose**

1.1. Ensure seamless post-treatment engagement with patients for retention and satisfaction.
1.2. Automatically schedule follow-up appointments after acupuncture sessions.
1.3. Reduce manual administrative overhead for clinic staff.
1.4. Notify patients via their preferred communication channel (SMS, email, app notification).
1.5. Update EHR/CRM systems with new appointment details for accurate records.
1.6. Enable re-engagement for patients overdue on follow-ups.
1.7. Allow rescheduling via automated communication flows.

**Trigger Conditions**

2.1. Completion of an acupuncture session and checkout in POS/EHR.
2.2. No future appointment recorded in the patient file.
2.3. Specific time elapsed (e.g., 7 days) since last session without a scheduled follow-up.
2.4. Patient feedback form submitted post-visit.
2.5. Manual tagging for ‘follow-up needed’ by practitioner.
2.6. Incomplete appointment marked as 'no-show' requiring reschedule prompt.

**Platform Variants**

3.1. **Twilio SMS**
- Feature: Messaging API
- Setting: Send automated SMS with follow-up options upon trigger; configure via Messaging Service SID.

3.2. **Mailchimp**
- Feature: Automated Campaign Triggers
- Setting: Email sequence triggered from EHR event webhook, merge tags personalized for patients.

3.3. **Google Calendar**
- Feature: API - Calendar Events
- Setting: Auto-create event for follow-up, patient receives invite via Google account.

3.4. **Microsoft Outlook/Office 365**
- Feature: Calendar API
- Setting: Schedule event in staff and patient calendars, with reminder notifications enabled.

3.5. **Salesforce Health Cloud**
- Feature: Workflow Rules & Process Automation
- Setting: Trigger follow-up task and email via workflow builder when session status changes.

3.6. **ActiveCampaign**
- Feature: Automation Builder
- Setting: Set follow-up emails/SMS sequences upon tag or event (visit completion).

3.7. **Zendesk**
- Feature: Triggered Ticket Creation
- Setting: Send follow-up ticket/reminder to designated staff for patient contact.

3.8. **Acuity Scheduling**
- Feature: API - Appointment Booking
- Setting: Automated follow-up invite sent after 'appointment completed' status received.

3.9. **Calendly**
- Feature: Event Types & Workflows
- Setting: Auto-send scheduling link via workflow after webhook from EHR.

3.10. **HubSpot**
- Feature: Sequences & Workflows
- Setting: Trigger email/SMS workflow with embedded scheduling link post-session.

3.11. **PagerDuty**
- Feature: Incident Triggers
- Setting: Raise follow-up incident to assigned practitioner, close when patient books.

3.12. **SendGrid**
- Feature: Transactional Templates
- Setting: Send branded follow-up emails via API, template personalized to the patient.

3.13. **Slack**
- Feature: Workflow Builder
- Setting: Notify clinical staff in dedicated channel when a patient needs follow-up.

3.14. **WhatsApp Business API**
- Feature: Messaging API
- Setting: Automated personalized message flows with scheduling options.

3.15. **Zoho CRM**
- Feature: Workflow Rules
- Setting: On visit completion, trigger follow-up task, notify patient via preferred channel.

3.16. **DrChrono**
- Feature: Appointment API
- Setting: Trigger SMS/email reminders for unscheduled follow-ups from patient records.

3.17. **Caspio**
- Feature: Automated Workflows
- Setting: Schedule follow-up emails based on form submission or data update.

3.18. **Google Sheets**
- Feature: App Script Triggers
- Setting: On new entry/row for ‘visited’ status, send automated follow-up email or SMS.

3.19. **Apple Calendar**
- Feature: Calendar Sharing
- Setting: Auto-send iCal invites for future appointments after trigger conditions met.

3.20. **ClickSend**
- Feature: SMS/Email API
- Setting: Send templated scheduling prompts to patients post-visit, capture reply-based bookings.

3.21. **Freshdesk**
- Feature: Automations
- Setting: Create reminder tickets to follow up or auto-email patients due/overdue for return.

3.22. **Aircall**
- Feature: Call Reminders
- Setting: Schedule automated voice reminders for follow-up appointments.

**Benefits**

4.1. Reduces risk of missed appointments and increases patient retention.
4.2. Saves administrative time by automating repetitive scheduling tasks.
4.3. Personalizes patient experience through channel choice and timely reminders.
4.4. Enables data-driven insights and improved scheduling accuracy in patient records.
4.5. Supports compliance and treatment continuity best practices for the clinic.
4.6. Ensures quick response for overdue or no-show follow-ups to maximize engagement.