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Add and Manage Lightning Bar

Namitha Elizabeth Smart
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Lightning Bar is designed to help practices efficiently track patient flow, manage chair availability, and monitor appointment progress in real time. It provides a quick overview of appointments and their current status, enabling the clinical team to coordinate treatment activities more effectively.

By using the Lightning Bar, practices can streamline front-desk and clinical workflows, quickly update appointment statuses, and ensure better visibility into patient movement across operatories.

Topics Covered

Enable the Lightning Bar

Lightning Bar must be enabled at both the User and Practice levels.

Enable for a Practice

Let's explore how to enable the Lightning Bar for a Practice. 

  • Navigate to the System Menu > select Practice Settings > Lightning Bar > Setup.
  • Turn on the Enable toggle to activate the Lightning Bar for the practice.
LB ON.gif

Enable for a User

Let's explore how to enable the Lightning Bar for a User. 

  • Navigate to the System Menu > select User Settings > General Settings.

  • Click Edit on the top right.
  • For Show Lightning Bar, select Yes.
  • Click Save.

Note: 

  • The lightning bar will be visible across all screens of the system.
  • In some layouts, the lightning bar slides out; in others, it moves the page aside.

Lightning Bar Configuration

Now, let's configure the settings that control how the Lightning Bar functions across your practice.

  • Navigate to the System Menu > select Practice Settings > Lightning Bar > Setup.
  • Click Edit on the top right.
  • Locations Enabled: Use the drop-down to select the Locations where you wish to activate the Lightning Bar.
  • Trigger Appt Status:  Select the appointment statuses that should trigger an appointment to enter the Lightning Bar.
    • When an appointment is updated to any of the selected trigger statuses, it initiate the process of adding an appointment to the Lightning Bar. Click here to learn more about trigger appointment status.
  • Default Appt Status: Set the status that will automatically be applied by default to appointments in the Lightning Bar.
    • This status is assigned when an appointment is moved to the Lightning Bar from the Scheduler or the Patient Tracker (compressed view).
  • Click Save.

Lightning Bar Status

Now, let's explore the lightning bar statuses. Lightning bar statuses help track progress and patient flow in the Lightning Bar.

Add a New Lightning Bar Status

  • Click +Add New on the right.

In the Lightning Bar Status modal that opens up,

  • Status Name: Enter the status name.
  • Color: Select the desired color using the color picker.
  • Emergency by Default: Select Yes if this status should mark appointments as emergencies.
  • Threshold Time: Enter the Threshold Time . Set the Threshold Time (in minutes) that should trigger a warning in the lightning bar when the status exceeds the specified duration.
  • Default: Select Yes  to mark the status as the default Lightning Bar Status.
  • Click Save.

Lightning Bar Customization

Now, let's explore how to personalize the Lightning Bar’s layout and features.

  • Navigate to the System Menu > select Practice Settings > Lightning Bar > Customization.
  • Click Edit on the top right.
Lightning Appointment Configuration
  • Show Appt Time Left: Select Yes to display the remaining appointment time left.
Lightning Appointment Block Color Settings
  • Choose how you want the lightning appointment blocks to be color-coded:
    • Appointment Slot Color: Sets the background color logic of the appointment block.
    • Appointment Left Margin Color: Sets the color logic of the thin strip on the left side of the block.
    • Appointment Border Color: Sets the color of the outline around the block.
  • All three can be color-coded based on any of the following : Lightning Bar Status, Primary Provider, Dental Assistant, Production Type, Appointment Status, or Appointment Status Group.
Right-Click Setup
  • Preferred Appt Statuses: Select the statuses that should appear when you right-click on an appointment slot in the Lightning Bar.
Customize Block Elements

You can customize what information shows on appointment tile. To do that,

  • Drag the element from the list and drop it into the Preview box on the right.
  • Available elements are:
    • Patient Information: Basic patient details.
    • Other information: Key medical and administrative details such as Clinical case name, Provider Name & Duration, Prod. type, Lightning Bar Status, and Lightning Bar Timer.
    • Flags: Quick visual indicators for important medical conditions or notes.
  • Once done, click Save.
Block elements.gif

Note: 

  • Elements already added to the tile display a Delete icon.
  • Elements not yet added display a Drag icon.
  • You can remove and re-add elements at any time.

Practices can use this simple guide to learn all about adding and managing lightning bar in CareStack.

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