Overview
The Booking step allows the Virtual Agent to schedule appointments directly from your EMR.
When a patient calls to book, the agent checks for availability and creates the appointment automatically — no staff involvement needed. If no suitable slot is found, it follows your configured fallback (for example, transferring the call to the front desk).
How Booking Works
When the agent detects a booking intent (for example, “I’d like to see my doctor”), it:
- Identifies the patient using your ID & Verification settings.
- Searches your EMR for the appropriate provider and slot based on your selected booking mode.
- Books the appointment directly in your EMR.
- Confirms the booking verbally with the patient.
Once booked, your existing reminder automations (if enabled through Outreach Agent) continue to handle pre-visit confirmations or notifications.
Booking Modes
Only one booking mode can be active at a time. Choose the mode that best fits your clinic’s workflow:
| Mode | Description |
| Family Doctor | Books directly with the caller’s assigned family physician. Ideal for clinics that require continuity of care. |
| Family Doctor → Next Available | Tries the patient’s family physician first, then books with the next available eligible provider if no suitable slot is found within your time rules. |
| Next Available by Specialty(Coming soon) | Books the next available provider within a chosen specialty. |
| Multi-Location / Multi-Specialty (Coming soon) | Searches across multiple clinic locations or specialties to find the first eligible slot. |
Example Flow
- Patient says, “I want to book an appointment.”
- The Virtual Agent confirms patient identity using configured ID & Verification.
- It looks up the patient’s family doctor and searches for the next open slot based on your Schedule Template Code and time limits.
- If available, the appointment is booked instantly in the EMR.
- The patient hears your configured confirmation message.
- If no slot is found, the agent follows your Unable to Book fallback (transfer, end call, or restart).
If Booking Is Disabled
If your clinic doesn’t allow automated bookings:
- Leave Booking turned off (do not select a mode).
- In the Knowledge Base, set booking-related topics (e.g., Test Results, Follow-Ups) to Forward Call or No Action instead.
This ensures patients still get answers or routing, but no appointments are booked automatically.
2. Appointment Configuration
Each field defines how the appointment is created in your EMR.
| Field | Description |
| Mode (In-Person / Phone / Virtual) | Defines the appointment type. The selected mode determines which schedule code is used. |
| Schedule Template Code | Connects the agent to your EMR’s live schedule to pull available time slots. |
| Status | Sets the EMR appointment status (for example, Booked or B). |
| Type | Defines the visit type (such as In-Person or Virtual). You can also link it to an EMR template by checking Pick Template Code. |
| Reason | Specifies why the appointment is being booked. This can be a fixed value or dynamically asked from the patient. |
| Confirmation / Instruction Message | The message the agent reads to confirm the appointment and provide any custom arrival or preparation instructions. |
3. Advanced Booking Options
Fine-tune how the agent selects and filters available slots.
| Setting | Description |
| Fixed Appointment Duration | Applies one uniform duration for all bookings. |
| Configure Duration per Provider | Uses each provider’s default duration as defined in your EMR. |
| Exclude Physicians | Removes selected providers from search results (for example, locums or inactive physicians). |
| Appointment Slots Logic | Filters slots based on timing rules. |
| Earliest Time | Minimum gap before a slot can be booked — prevents last-minute same-day bookings. |
| Latest Time | Maximum time range ahead the agent will look for availability. |
4. If Booking Can’t Be Completed
Sometimes, the Virtual Agent may not be able to complete an appointment — for example, when:
- No provider or time slot is available within your configured limits.
- The EMR does not accept the booking due to a validation or connection issue.
In these cases, the If No Physician Found section defines how the call should proceed.
| Action Type | Description |
| Transfer Call | Redirects the caller to your clinic’s front desk or booking line so staff can assist manually. |
| End Call | Ends the call politely with your custom message. |
| Start from Beginning | Restarts the flow so the patient can try another option or repeat their request. |
💡 Tip: Add a short, reassuring message in the Message field (e.g., “I wasn’t able to book your appointment right now. Let me connect you to the clinic for help.”). This makes the handoff feel natural and maintains a good patient experience.
5. Testing Your Setup
Before going live:
- Confirm your EMR schedule codes and provider slots are active.
- Call your Virtual Agent number and ask to “book an appointment.”
- Verify the appointment appears in your EMR with the correct provider, location, and type.
- Adjust timing or filtering settings if no slots are found.
6. Next Steps
Once the booking flow is tested:
- Proceed to Update & Reschedule to manage appointment changes.
- Complete Assign Number & Go Live after verifying all intent flows.