Imaging practices: booking exams with preparation notes

Let patients book their imaging exam online with one service per exam type, such as a chest X-ray, an abdominal ultrasound or a joint ultrasound, and put the preparation instructions in each service's description. Set the slot length to what each exam needs and open slots on the machines and rooms that perform it. Patients read what to do before they choose a time, fewer exams are postponed because someone arrived unprepared, and reception spends less time on the phone explaining preparation.

An X-ray takes a few minutes, an ultrasound longer, and each may need different preparation. On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page, and each slot belongs to one service, sits within one day and has its own capacity. Give each slot one place, so one patient books each exam.

Durations are examples: set your own. The price field is optional; leave it empty if you don't want an amount shown.

The description is shown on your public page under each service, so it's where patients read what to do before booking. Write the preparation the practice requires for that exam, according to your own protocols, such as:

Keep the wording short and plain. If an exam has detailed instructions, say in the description that the practice will send them by email after booking, and send them.

Each slot belongs to one service, and slots of different services can overlap. If one ultrasound machine handles both abdominal and joint exams, open their slots at different times, or check that two can't be booked on the same machine at once. Slots repeat each week on the weekdays you choose until an end date, so a weekly timetable per room takes a few minutes to set up.

If an exam requires fasting, open its slots in the morning so patients don't go without food all day. Name it clearly so patients pick the right service.

The booking form takes first name, last name, email and phone, plus an optional note that reaches you in the new booking email and appears in the patient's calendar file. Say in the description to bring the prescription, ID and any previous images or reports. Since the note appears in the calendar file, ask patients not to write health details there; the prescription tells you what's needed.

For a child's exam, ask the parent to enter their own name in the booking and the child's first name and age in the note, and say in the description who may come into the room. A longer slot for children's ultrasounds gives time to settle a young patient without delaying the next booking.

Book has one booking page per business and no staff field. If each radiographer or sonographer works in a different room, give each room its own services, such as "Ultrasound, room 2", so the bookings list shows who sees which patient and the rooms never clash.

If a patient books the wrong exam, move the booking from your bookings list; rescheduling works across services. Call the patient to explain the right preparation, since Book doesn't email clients about changes.

Give the booking link to the doctors who refer patients, put it on the practice website and on the voicemail message. A patient leaving the doctor with a prescription can book straight away and read the preparation on the spot.

Patients can't move or cancel bookings online: they call reception, and you move the exam from your bookings list. If a machine breaks down, cancel or move the affected bookings and tell each patient yourself. Patients who entered an email received a confirmation with a calendar file; Book doesn't send reminders. Bookings sync with Google, iPhone or Mac calendars. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.