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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

06/11/2021 | Press release | Archived content

Updates to the Clinic Portal

The VAMS Clinic Portal redesign will streamline clinic processes and reduce the number of tabs and clicks required to perform clinic tasks. This redesign includes the reorganization of previous Clinic Portal tabs. Various tabs have been consolidated and functionalities can be viewed as collapsible windows within the tabs. This redesign also incorporates added functionalities for the clinic administrator role within the Clinic Setup and Appointment Management Tabs.

Note: The Recipient Management, Appointment Management, and most of the functionality enhancements within the Clinic Setup tab apply to standard and mobile clinics only.

The following tabs have been updated in the Clinic Portal as a result of the redesign:

Manage Appointments tab is now the Recipient Management tab

  • The Recipient Management tab is the renamed version of the Manage Appointments tab. No updates were made to the existing functionalities.

Bulk Imports tab is now the Data Imports tab

  • The Data Imports tab is the renamed version of the Bulk Imports tab. No updates were made to the existing functionalities.

Updates to the Clinic Setup tab

  • The Clinic Setup tab includes the following collapsible windows: Clinic Details, Clinic Location(s), Treatment Station Groups, and Manage Users. There is a box at the top of the tab that indicates the clinic's set up status. Functionality enhancements for this tab can be reviewed in the Clinic Setup Tab section of this page.

Updates to the Appointment Management tab

  • The Appointment Management tab includes the following collapsible windows: Clinic Absences, Appointment Rules, Appointment Reservations, Limited Service Groups, Appointment Notes, and Messaging. Functionality enhancements for this tab can be reviewed in the Appointment Management Tab section of this page.

The Clinic Setup tab within the VAMS Clinic Portal includes four collapsible windows: Clinic Details, Clinic Location(s), Treatment Station Groups, and Manage Users. This Quick Reference Guide will focus on enhancements to previous functionalities. For more details on all functionalities, reference the Clinic User Manuals.

Windows will default to collapsed, with the exception of the top window. To open a window, click the grey arrow in the upper right-hand corner of each window. To collapse a window, click the same grey arrow. If a window contains more than five records, a button, View All, will display. To view additional records that are not displayed in the window, click View All.

Clinic Details

The Clinic Details window displays general information about the clinic such as clinic name, clinic status, clinic primary address, clinic shipping address, and appointment duration.

  • You will be able to select the Deactivate or Edit buttons in the upper right-hand corner of the window to make changes to your clinic details.

Clinic Location(s)

The Clinic Locations window displays the clinic's primary location as provided during registration. Note: Only mobile clinics can add multiple clinic locations.

  • You will be able to click the drop-down arrow which will offer Edit or View Operating Hours as options. If you click Edit, this will direct you to the Clinic Location page. If you click View Operating Hours, a pop-up window will appear that will display the operating hours for that location.
  • Within the Clinic Location page, as you add or make updates to the clinic's operating hours, the system will calculate the total number of time slots based on the appointment duration that was set for your clinic and the specified start and end times.

The Treatment Station Groups window displays groups of one or more treatment stations that share the same dates, operating hours, and absences.

  • To set up the first treatment station group, click Setup Treatment Station Group. This will direct you to the Treatment Station Group page.
    • Enter station group name, start date, end date, and the number of treatment stations in this group.
    • Click Continue.
  • To set up operating hours for the treatment station group, click Edit in the upper right corner of the Operating Hours window.
    • Select Use My Clinic Location's Operating Hours For This Treatment Station Group or Set New Operating Hours For This Treatment Station Group.
      • If you select Use My Clinic Location's Operating Hours For This Treatment Station Group, your treatment station will inherit the same operating hours as your clinic location.
        • Note: If you are a mobile clinic with multiple locations, the treatment station will inherit the hours for each location that overlaps with the date range set for the treatment station group.
      • To Set New Operating Hours For This Treatment Station Group, you will need to add operating hours by clicking the Add Hours A pop-up window will appear to enter the day of week, start time, and end time. Click Save to save and close. Click Save And New to save and enter additional operating hours.
        • Note: Treatment station group operating hours that do not overlap with the clinic's operating hours will not create appointment slots.
    • The system will calculate the total number of appointments.
  • To add absences for the treatment station group on the Treatment Station Group page, click Add Absence in the upper left-hand corner of the Treatment Station Group Absence window. A pop-up window will appear.
    • Enter the number of treatment stations this absence will apply to, the absence reason, the start and end date, and the start and end time. Note: Required fields are denoted by a red asterisk (*).
    • Select the absence type:
      • Keep all existing appointments, and prevent new appointments from being scheduled during the absence
      • Cancel any appointments that occur during the absence, and prevent new appointments from being scheduled during the absence
        • If you select this absence type, the system will notify you of the number of scheduled appointments to be cancelled.
    • Click Save to save and close. Click Save And New to save and enter additional treatment station group absences. Additional treatment station absences can also be added by clicking Add Absence in the upper left-hand corner of the Treatment Station Group Absence window.
  • You can edit treatment stations after set up from the Clinic setup tab by clicking the Treatment Station Group you want to edit. This will direct you to that Treatment Station Group's page.
  • To change the number of treatment stations in a treatment station group, click Edit in the upper-right hand corner of the Treatment Station Group Details window.
    • Enter the new number of treatment stations for this group in the Number of Treatment Stations In This Group field.
    • If you reduce the number of treatment stations in a treatment station group, a pop-up will inform you if there are existing appointments scheduled against those treatment stations.
      • Select Keep All Existing Appointments That Are Affected or Cancel Any Existing Appointments That Are Affected.
      • Click Remove.
  • To edit operating hours for a treatment station group, click Edit in the upper right-hand corner of the Operating Hours window.
    • Click the drop-down arrow next to the operating hour line you want to edit. Click Edit.
    • A pop-up window will appear and you can enter changes.
    • Click Save.
      • If you reduce operating hours, you will receive a warning message asking you if you'd like to cancel or keep existing appointments.
  • To edit treatment station group absences for the treatment station group, click the drop-down arrow next to the absence you want to edit. Click Edit.
    • A pop-up window will appear and you can enter changes.
    • Click Save.

The Manage Users window allows you to add, edit, or delete your clinic portal's users.

  • To add a user, click Add User in the upper right-hand corner of the Manager Users window.
  • To edit a user, click the user you want to edit. Click Edit.
  • To remove a user, click the user you want to remove. Click Remove.
    • This will direct you to the page confirming you want to remove this user. Select Yes or No.
    • Click Next.
    • A confirmation message will appear. Click Finish to return to your Clinic Portal.

The Appointment Management tab within the VAMS Clinic Portal includes six collapsible windows: Clinic Absences, Appointment Rules, Appointment Reservations, Limited Service Groups, Appointment Notes, and Messaging. This Quick Reference Guide will focus on enhancements to previous functionalities. For more details on all functionalities, reference the Clinic User Manuals.

Windows will default to collapsed, with the exception of the top window. To open a window, click the grey arrow in the upper right corner of each window. To collapse a window, click the same grey arrow. If a window contains more than five records, a button, View All, will display. To view additional records that are not displayed in the window, click View All.

Clinic Absences

The Clinic Absences window allows you to add clinic absences to pause or stop appointment scheduling.

  • To add a clinic absence, click the Add Absence button in this window.
  • To edit a clinic absence, click the drop-down arrow next to the absence you want to edit. Click Edit.
    • A pop-up window will appear and you can enter changes.
    • Click Save.

Appointment Rules

The Appointment Rules window allows you to set appointment rules to restrict when recipients and jurisdiction contact center users can schedule appointments. Existing appointments will not be affected.

  • To edit appointment rules, click the Edit button in the upper right-hand corner of this window. A pop-up window will appear.
  • Enter the number of days appointment scheduling will be available (optional).
  • Enter a start time and duration to limit same-day or next-day appointments (optional).
  • Select Yes or No to allow jurisdiction contact centers to ignore reservation tiers when scheduling.
  • Click Save.

Appointment Reservations

The Appointment Reservation window displays the percentages of total appointments reserved for each appointment type.

  • To edit appointment reservations, click the Pencil Icon next to each appointment reservation value. Enter the percentage for the field. Click Save to save changes. Click Cancel to revert changes back to previous values.
  • For more help with the appointment reservations, click the blue hyperlinked text, View This Infographic.
  • To reference your jurisdiction default settings, click the blue hyperlinked text, Jurisdiction Default Settings.

Limited Service Groups

The Limited Service Groups window allows you to choose to service a specific group of recipients. When a limited service group is applied to your clinic, only recipients that meet the specific criteria are able to schedule appointments with your clinic.

  • To create a limited service group, click Create New in this window. This will direct you to the Create New Limited Service Groups page.
    • Enter the limited service group name, type, and click the box to activate this limited service group. The limited service group will only take effect once checked as active.
    • Click Create.

Appointment Notes

The Appointment Notes window allows you add a note to the appointment confirmation that recipients will see when they schedule appointments at your clinic.

  • To add or edit an appointment note, click the drop-down arrow next to the clinic location you wish to associate the note with. Click Edit. You will be directed to the Appointment notes page.
    • Enter text in the first field.
    • Click Save.
  • To delete an appointment note, click the drop-down arrow next to the note you want to delete.
    • Click Delete.
    • A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm you want to delete this appointment note.
    • Click Delete.

Messaging

The Messaging window allows you send messages to recipients with scheduled appointments.

  • To send a new message, click Send New Message in the upper right-hand corner of the window.
  • To edit a message with a status of pending, click the blue hyperlinked Message Subject. This will direct you to the Message record page, where you can click Edit Message or Cancel Message as needed.
  • To view previously sent messages, click the blue hyperlinked Message Subject.