This article will explain how to manage and customize your acuity safeguard. If you would like to learn more about what the Acuity Safeguard is and how it works, please refer to this help desk article: Acuity Safeguard.
The acuity safeguard is set up when a facility is first implemented. Usually, a facility's acuity safeguard is built on top of a group of default symptoms that are generic across most facilities as well as a few customizations made based on the facility's needs. This article will teach you:
To ensure the Acuity Safeguard work smoothly for all clients they will need to follow our recommended best practices for updating their symptoms.
- Unwanted symptoms- For default symptoms you do NOT want to use, please click the green circle to the left of the symptom to deactivate it. You will NOT be able to change the symptom name for an inherited symptom.
Click the green circle to deactivate.
- New symptoms- Please click on the + button in the top right to add a new symptom instead of editing one of the pre-loaded options.
- Editing symptoms- Double click a symptom to edit the symptom attributes for flag / block / divert. You will be able to edit the symptom name for symptoms entered in your facility but not those that are inherited.
How to change an existing symptom's acuity level
How to add new symptoms to the Acuity Safeguard
How to add an age limit for your facility using the Acuity Safeguard
How to create a custom message to show when the safeguard is triggered
Important Note
If you manage multiple facilities, edit these settings at the parent level to make changes to all of your facilities at once. Learn more about this in the FAQ section at the bottom of the page.
How to change an existing symptom's acuity level:
Step 1: Navigate to the Acuity Safeguard by clicking on "Online/Walk-in Module" in the sidebar, then clicking on 'Acuity Safeguard'.
Step 2: Scroll through the list of symptoms to find the one you wish to edit. Double click on the symptom to open up the editing window.
Step 3: Click on the new acuity level you wish to change it to for either walk-in patients, online patients, or both. Make sure to select the appropriate message to show patients that have triggered the safeguard for this symptom. Click 'Save'.
Note: Learn how to create custom messages in the "How to" section below.
How to add new symptoms to the Acuity Safeguard:
Step 1: Navigate to the Acuity Safeguard by clicking on "Online/Walk-in Module" in the sidebar, then clicking on 'Acuity Safeguard'.
Step 2: Click on the blue plus sign above the pane labeled 'Symptoms' in the top right corner. This opens the 'Add new symptoms' window.
Step 3: Put the symptom you wish to safeguard in the 'Symptom name' field. Select which acuity level (Flag, Block, Divert) the symptom should be set to for Check-in patients, Walk-in patients or both. Select the message you wish to show patients that trigger the safeguard. Press Save.
Note: If you want to learn how to create custom messages, please read the "how-to" section below.
Best Practice Tips: Patients frequently misspell their symptoms when filling out a reservation. We recommend adding variations and misspellings of the symptoms to the list to increase security. For example, if you add "chest pain" to the list of symptoms, it is probably a good idea to add "pain in chest", "chest pane", "chset pain", etc to the list of symptoms as well.
How to add an age limit for your facility using the Acuity Safeguard:
If you are a strictly pediatric or adult-based clinic, this is a great way to block patients from making reservations who are out of the age range your facility caters to.
Step 1: Navigate to the Acuity Safeguard by clicking on "Online/Walk-in Module" in the sidebar, then clicking on 'Acuity Safeguard'.
Step 2: Scroll down past the 'Symptoms' pane to the pane labeled 'Messages'. Click on the blue plus button in the top right corner of the 'Messages' pane.
Step 3: Add a nickname to help you remember what this message entails. The nickname is NOT patient-facing, only staff/admin will be able to see this - it is purely a mnemonic device. Select whether the age limit is 'Over' or 'Under' and then type in the age.
Step 4: Select whether you want to Flag, Block, or Divert walk-in and/or online patients that do not meet the age requirements. Select the message you wish to show patients that trigger the age limit. Click 'Save'.
Note: To learn how to create custom messages, refer the the "how-to" section below.
How to create a custom message to show when the safeguard is triggered:
Step 1: Navigate to the Acuity Safeguard by clicking on "Online/Walk-in Module" in the sidebar, then clicking on 'Acuity Safeguard'.
Step 2: Scroll down past the 'Symptoms' pane to the pane labeled 'Messages'. Click on the blue plus button in the top right corner of the 'Messages' pane.
Step 3: Select whether the message is intended for patients blocked for 'Symptoms' or 'Age' in the fields labeled 'Type'. Add a nickname to help you remember what this message entails. The nickname is NOT patient-facing, only staff/admin will be able to see this - it is purely a mnemonic device.
Step 4: Add a headline. This is the bold heading the patients will see. The headline should be short and to the point.
Step 5: Add a content message. This message can be longer and more explanatory. See the screenshot below as a reference. Click Save.
FAQs
I manage a few different facilities/queues, how can I make changes to all my facilities at once?
If you make changes to the acuity safeguard at the parent level, the changes will cascade down to your child facilities (see screenshot). Child facilities will still have the flexibility to make customizations as they see fit, but editing the acuity safeguard at the parent level will save you time. To edit at the parent level: select the parent level facility under 'Locations', go to the 'Pages' tab, navigate to the 'Acuity Safeguard', and start editing. If the Symptom is inherit it cannot be changed only the Acuity Level can be changed.
What is the difference between acuity safeguards for Walk-in and Online patients?
Online patients are able to be blocked, diverted or flagged by the acuity safeguard. Walk-in patients are only able to be diverted or flagged.
What is the difference between 'blocked', 'diverted', and 'flagged'?
Blocked - is meant to prevent patients with potentially life-threatening conditions from making a reservation. The blocking message normally comes with a call-to-action to call 911 or go immediately to an ER.
Diverted - diverted is very similar to blocked but there is not as much urgency and usually does not contain a call-to-action to call 911 or go to an ER.
Flagged - is used as an indicator to staff that this patient may need special or more immediate attention.
To learn more about these acuity levels, please visit this help center article: Acuity Safeguard.