Online booking allows you to give your patients access to routine appointments and provide a more self-service experience. You can surface online booking appointments on your website, via QR codes or by sending out communications to patients that the service is available.
This guide will walk you through the steps to set up appointment types for online booking, including creating slots, editing details, and ensuring appointments are visible and bookable online. Additionally, we'll cover how to generate a direct booking link that can be integrated into your website, guiding patients smoothly from your site to securing an appointment.
Setting up appointment types for online booking
Step 1: Create slots
First, navigate to your dashboard and go to Settings > Services > Appointments. Here, you'll have the option to add a new slot type. This initial step involves selecting a slot from your Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to ensure your online booking slots align with your actual availability and services offered.
💡 When slots are added from your EHR it can take some time for the availability that you have set up via your EHR to sync with Hero.
Step 2: Edit slot details
After adding a slot type, you can customise its details to fit your online booking needs. Select the slot you've created and choose Options > Edit. This is where you can fine-tune the specifics of each appointment type.
.
How can I be confident that my appointment is visible to patients?
You have a few settings to manage how and when an appointment type is available for online booking:
Suspend Access: Disable online booking for specific appointment types if needed, without removing them entirely from your system.
Allow Online Booking: If this option is not ticked, then these appointment types can still be sent to patients directly via an invitation, but not used on an online portal/website.
How do I share my appointment for patients to book?
To further streamline the booking process, you can create a direct link to an appointment type that can be embedded into your website. This link can be added as a button or hyperlink, guiding patients directly to the booking page for that specific appointment type. Here's how:
Generate the link: Within the appointment's edit options, look for the option to create a direct booking link. This feature generates a URL specifically for that appointment type.
Embed on your website: Use the generated link to create a button or hyperlink on your website. This can be placed on relevant pages or alongside specific services offered, providing a clear call to action for patients to book an appointment.