This article explains how to enable and configure the "First Available" appointment option in your scheduling system. This is the default setting when multiple providers share the same appointment purpose. This allows patients to schedule appointments faster by displaying the availability of multiple providers for the same type of appointment, reducing the need for back-and-forth clicking.
If you want to maintain the same level of experience, but want to hide who they are picking, the provider masking feature is perfect for you.
How Provider Masking Works:
When the Provider Masking option is enabled:
Patients only see available appointment times, without knowing which provider is assigned to each slot.
This feature is useful for clinics that prefer patients to book based on availability, rather than selecting a particular provider.
This feature allows offices to fill the provider with the least appointments for the day, or you could choose which provider's schedule is filled first. Many times, the owner wants to be left as the overflow provider and prefers to fill the associates' schedule first.
Benefits of Provider Masking:
• Reduces Provider Bias: Patients can no longer choose a provider based on preference, helping ensure that appointments are filled based on availability.
• Faster Scheduling: By simplifying the process, patients can focus on selecting the earliest available time, rather than switching between provider schedules.
How to Enable Provider Masking:
1. Go to your Appointment Settings.
2. Find the section for Provider Display Options.
3. Select the option to Mask Provider. This will hide provider names during the booking process.
Once enabled, patients will see a list of available times, but no provider details, allowing you to control how appointments are filled based solely on availability.
This simple setting helps streamline the scheduling process and ensures a more balanced distribution of appointments among providers.