The new Notifications feature in CareStack is designed to streamline your workflow by keeping you informed about important events through notification alerts and a designated notification drawer. The notifications that you will receive include several actions from modules like Payments, Claims, Patient Forms, etc.
For example, when a patient uploads a document through the Patient Portal, you will receive a notification if the appropriate permission is granted in the Practice Settings.
Let's explore how notifications work in CareStack!
Topics Covered
- Access Notifications
- Functionalities of Notification Center
- Set Up Notification Preferences
- Best Practices
- FAQs
Access Notifications
Watch this video for a concise summary.
Let's get started on how to access notifications.
- To view all notifications, click the Bell icon towards the top right no matter what page you are on.
- The icon also shows the count of unread notifications.
| Note: If the count of unread notifications has surpassed a maximum of 9, then it will be displayed as 9+. |
- The notification drawer will display all the notifications you have received.
- A notification alert will appear whenever an event has taken place for all subscribed notification types.
- To address the notifications, hover over the icon and click Take Action.
- To open the Notifications Center in a new tab, click on the icon highlighted below.
- The Full View of the Notification Center will open up as a new tab.
| Tip: To view the help guide for notifications in a new tab, click General Info. |
Functionalities of Notification Center
Read and Unread Notifications
There are two tabs on the notifications drop-down menu.
- To view all unread notifications, select the Unread tab.
- The tab will display the count of unread messages.
- To view all messages (unread and read), select the All tab.
- To mark a notification as read or unread, hover over the intended notification and click Mark as Read or Mark as Unread as needed.
- For bulk action, click Mark all as Read. This will mark all messages as read and the Unread tab will have no messages.
| Note: Mark all as Read and Mark as Read functionality are user-specific. |
Notification Information
- Each notification on the notification drawer consists of the following information:
- Notification Type: The notification type from which the event has occurred. Example: The notification is about an event that occurred in Online Appointments.
- Notification Headline: The headline of the notification whether it is a message or an event.
- Date & Time: Date and time of the notification. The Time is based on the user's system timezone.
- Location: The location relevant for notification delivery. Some notifications might not have a location context as those maybe user-targeted or be applicable across multiple locations.
Mute Notifications
The notifications can be muted according to your preferences. Perform the steps below.
Click on the Mute All Toggle Button to mute all notification alerts and switch back when needed. This feature is useful during meetings or focused work sessions when you do not want to be interrupted by any notifications.
If the Mute All function is enabled, the bell icon will appear stricken through and grayed out. This is to remind the user that notifications are muted.
Filters
- To filter the notifications, click Filters.
- You can filter out the notifications by Notification Types and/or by Location.
| Tip: Use the Search Bar to refine the notification types or locations. |
- Select the intended filters and click Show Results.
| Note: Filters do not retain their settings once the notification drawer is closed. |
Set Up Notification Preferences
Watch this video for a concise summary
To access notification settings, perform the steps below.
- Click on the Settings Icon in the notification drawer.
- Navigate to the System Menu > select User Settings > Notification Settings.
- Users are auto-subscribed based on their profile permissions. You can decide which notification types should be active for you.
- Click on the Toggle button under Subscribe for the corresponding Notification Type to enable notifications for that type.
- The user will start receiving alerts and notifications from the last 30 days for the subscribed notification types.
- You can unsubscribe from the intended notification types whenever needed.
- If you unsubscribe a notification type, the related events or topics will not be notified.
- Enable Mute Always for the intended notification types.
- Enable this setting, if you need the notifications to be subscribed but do not want alerts for them.
- To learn more about a Notification Type, click Learn More on the corresponding row.
- Select the Subscribed Locations where you want to receive notifications.
Note: Practices will only be able to view their allowed locations. |
Best Practices
- Regularly Check Notifications: Ensure you are up-to-date with important updates.
- User Location Subscription: Quickly find the notifications you need.
- Manage Subscriptions: Subscribe to relevant notification types and unsubscribe from those that are not necessary.
- Utilize Mute Functions: Control the flow of notifications to avoid distractions.
- Tidy Up Notifications Center: Clear up the unread notifications after reviewing them.
FAQs
| Questions | Answers |
| Q1: Who can see the notification bell icon inside the PMS? | A: All practice users can see the notification bell icon and configure notification settings if the feature is enabled for your dental practice. |
| Q2: What is the default setting for receiving notifications? |
A: By default, all users will be subscribed to the topics they can access based on profile permissions. Note: Notifications for some of the listed use cases might not be delivered to all the users as the delivery is subject to applicable user profile permissions, locations, and practice settings. |
| Q3: How will the notification alert be delivered? | A: A toast message will be displayed, if not muted. |
| Q4: What is the difference between a 'Notification Type' and a 'Use Case'? | A: The notification Type is a group, and the use case is the event in that group for which you will receive the notification. |
| Q5: For what use cases can I receive notifications? | A: Receiving a notification is based on the user profile permissions, location access, and applicable practice settings. |
| Q6: Where can I see the use cases that are already part of the notifications feature? | A: You can view the use cases for each notification type in User Settings > Notification Settings > Learn More. |
| Q7: How long is a notification retained in the notification drawer? | A: Notifications are retained for 30 days from the delivery date. |
| Q8: How can I suggest more use cases to improve operational efficiency through notifications? | A: Add suggestions via System Menu > Give Feedback. |
| Q9: Why can I not see any notifications in the notification dropdown? |
A: Possible reasons include:
Please reach out to our support team if you need more assistance. |
| Q10: Why am I not receiving notifications for a specific notification type I was receiving before? |
A: Possible reasons include:
Please reach out to our support team if you need more information. |
| Q11: What happens when I click on a notification from the alert received or the drawer? | A: Clicking on a notification will redirect you to the relevant screen, allowing you to take further action on the event. |
| Q12: Why am I not allowed to click on a notification? |
A: It could be due to trying to access notifications from a user profile without the necessary permissions. Switch profiles by navigating to System Menu > Available Profiles. If not, please record the bug using the CareStack bug recorder tool and send it to us. Please reach out to our support team if you need more assistance. |
| Q13: What happens to the MUTE ALWAYS setting when I have enabled MUTE ALL? | A: No change, as both actions are independent. The Mute Always setting will be in effect when Mute All is toggled off. |
| Q14: Why am I unable to unsubscribe from a Notification Type? | A: Users with the required profile permissions cannot unsubscribe from user-targeted notification types. Only the user who initiated the action will receive these notifications. |
| Q15: How can I stop all incoming notification alerts for some time? | A: You can use the Mute All button and toggle it ON to stop receiving notification alerts. You can toggle it off once you are ready to receive those alerts. |
| Q16: Are there any keyboard shortcuts for this feature? | A: You can close the notification dropdown by pressing the ESC key on the keyboard. |
| Q17: Is a specific profile permission needed to access notifications? | A: Profile permissions are not required to access notifications. |
Practices can use this simple guide to learn all about the notifications feature in CareStack.