Skip to main content

Booking Queue and Appointments

OzyOps handles appointments in three different ways depending on your setup and the type of appointment. This guide explains each workflow and what your staff needs to do.


Three Types of Booking Workflows

1. AI-Booked Appointments (Automatic)

What it is: The AI books the appointment directly into your EMR calendar during the call.

How it works:

  1. A caller asks to schedule an appointment.
  2. The AI checks your EMR calendar for available slots.
  3. The caller picks a time, and the AI books it on the spot.
  4. The patient gets a confirmation SMS with an "Add to Calendar" link.

Requirements:

  • Your EMR must be connected in Settings > EMR/FHIR.
  • Appointment booking must be enabled (see the EMR Setup Guide).

If your EMR is NOT connected:

  • The AI still takes the call professionally.
  • It captures the caller's name, phone number, reason for visit, and preferred times.
  • It tells the caller: "Our scheduling team will call you back to confirm your appointment."
  • The caller's information appears in your Quote Pipeline for follow-up.

Where to find AI-booked appointments:

  • Call Detail page -- Open any call and look for the appointment card showing date, time, and provider.
  • Quote Pipeline -- Look for the blue "Appt Booked" badge on the entry.

2. Manual Booking Queue (Fallback)

What it is: When the AI tries to book an appointment but the EMR connection is down or the booking fails, the entry goes into a manual queue for your staff to handle.

How it works:

  1. The AI attempts to book but encounters a connection issue.
  2. The AI tells the caller: "I have your information and our team will confirm your appointment shortly."
  3. The entry appears in your manual booking queue with a pending status.
  4. Your staff books the appointment directly in the EMR.
  5. Staff marks the entry as completed in OzyOps.
  6. The patient automatically receives a confirmation SMS.

Where to find it: Go to Settings > EMR/FHIR > Booking Queue tab.

What staff needs to do:

  1. Check the Booking Queue regularly (especially after connection issues).
  2. For each pending entry, open your EMR and book the appointment using the details shown.
  3. Come back to OzyOps and click Mark Complete.
  4. The patient gets a confirmation text automatically.

Booking Queue statuses:

StatusMeaningAction Needed
PendingAI created the entry. Appointment not yet booked.Staff needs to book in EMR and mark complete.
CompletedStaff booked the appointment and marked it done.None. Patient received confirmation SMS.
CancelledAppointment was cancelled.None.
ExpiredEntry aged out without being completed.Review if still needed.

3. Procedure Bookings (Multi-Appointment Sequences)

What it is: For procedures that require multiple appointments over time (e.g., dental implants: consultation, surgery, crown placement, follow-up).

How it works:

  • Staff creates procedure templates that define the steps.
  • When a caller mentions a procedure keyword, the AI detects it and flags the call.
  • Staff creates a procedure record and tracks each appointment step through to completion.

Where to find it: Go to Dashboard > Procedures.

Professional plan only

Procedure scheduling is available on the Professional plan. It does NOT require an EMR connection -- procedure data is stored directly in OzyOps.


Booking Queue Details

Three Tabs

The Booking Queue has three tabs:

  • Pending -- Appointments the AI could not fully book (EMR was down or read-only). Staff needs to manually book these.
  • Completed -- Successfully booked appointments. Green checkmark means confirmed in your EMR.
  • Cancelled -- Appointments that were cancelled (patient changed their mind during the call).

What Each Entry Shows

  • Patient name and phone -- Who the appointment is for.
  • Date and time -- When the appointment is scheduled.
  • Provider -- Which doctor or provider (e.g., "Dr. Sarah Chen").
  • Reason for visit -- What the patient said (e.g., "stomach pain," "rash on arm").
  • Status -- Completed, pending, cancelled, or expired.

Double-Booking Prevention

The system prevents two patients from booking the same provider at the same time. If a time slot has already been taken, the AI automatically offers the next available time. For clinics with multiple providers, different providers CAN be booked at the same time -- only the same provider's slot is blocked.

Confirmation SMS

After every successful booking, the patient receives a confirmation text with:

  • Appointment date and time
  • An "Add to Calendar" link they can tap to add it to their phone's calendar
  • Instructions on how to reschedule (call the clinic number)
  • Opt-out instructions (reply STOP)

Pipeline Entry Statuses

When calls come in and create leads in your Quote Pipeline, each entry moves through these statuses:

StatusWhat It Means
NewLead just came in from a call. No one has touched it yet.
SentInitial follow-up SMS sent to the lead.
Follow-Up 1First follow-up SMS sent.
Follow-Up 2Second follow-up SMS sent.
Follow-Up 3Third follow-up SMS sent.
ContactedStaff reached out manually.
ConvertedLead converted to a booking or sale.
Closed WonAppointment booked or service scheduled.
Closed LostLead declined or went with another provider.
Focus on New and Following Up entries first

These are the leads most likely to convert with a timely response.


Common Questions

Why don't regular appointments show up on the Procedures page? The Procedures page only shows multi-step procedure sequences. Regular single appointments appear on the Call Detail page and as badges in the Quote Pipeline.

Do I need an EMR connection for the AI to answer calls? No. The AI answers calls, qualifies callers, and captures their information regardless of whether your EMR is connected. EMR integration is only needed for the AI to check availability and book appointments automatically.

What happens when our EMR goes down? The AI handles it gracefully. It continues taking calls, collects the caller's information, and tells them your team will call back to confirm. The booking request goes into the manual Booking Queue for your staff to process once the EMR is back up.

What is the difference between the Booking Queue and the Quote Pipeline? The Booking Queue (Settings > EMR/FHIR) is specifically for appointments that the AI tried to book but could not due to a connection issue. The Quote Pipeline (Dashboard > Pipeline) tracks all leads from calls through your follow-up process, whether or not they involve an appointment.

Do patients get notified when I complete a manual booking? Yes. When you mark a booking queue entry as completed, the patient automatically receives a confirmation SMS.


Quick Reference

ScenarioWhere to LookStaff Action
AI booked an appointment successfullyCall Detail page, Pipeline (blue badge)None needed
EMR was down, booking failedSettings > EMR/FHIR > Booking QueueBook in EMR, mark complete
Multi-visit procedureDashboard > ProceduresCreate procedure, track steps
New lead, no appointment yetDashboard > PipelineFollow up, convert