email options

[fishdrzig]

Is OD currently set up to receive email directly? If not, what are the options? Thank you

[sparkly]

no, that's a feature that's been 'planned' for a while but hasn't materialized yet. i guess most OD users dont use email in general. you can send basic messages OUT and they'll be recorded in the commlog, but incoming mail is non-existent (and does not get automatically delivered to the correct patient commlog...like in Mogo).

[jordansparks]

Uh oh. Mogo does it? Sounds like a dare.

[savvy]

There is no way OD can or will do that.
Anyone who thinks they can get it to, is just kidding themselves.
It's just not possible.
Nope, not possible.

[fishdrzig]

How do you all manage your incoming email related to patients then?

[tdong]

just put outlook for the front desk that's all

[fishdrzig]

So use outlook and copy/paste into comm log for patients?

[jordansparks]

There is no way OD can or will do that.
Anyone who thinks they can get it to, is just kidding themselves.
It's just not possible.
Nope, not possible.

You must mean not possible yet. Of course that will eventually become a feature of Open Dental. It's not too incredibly difficult to implement. We just create an inbox, and if the incoming email matches a patient's email, we also attach it to that patient. Of course, users will immediately start wanting more features, like folders, html support, timed downloads, etc. But the basic feature is not impossible.

[drtech]

currently we use outlook express and just copy the message into the comm log

[savvy]

There is no way OD can or will do that.
Anyone who thinks they can get it to, is just kidding themselves.
It's just not possible.
Nope, not possible.

You must mean not possible yet. Of course that will eventually become a feature of Open Dental. It's not too incredibly difficult to implement. We just create an inbox, and if the incoming email matches a patient's email, we also attach it to that patient. Of course, users will immediately start wanting more features, like folders, html support, timed downloads, etc. But the basic feature is not impossible.

Yeah, yeah, yeah....
Ok, you're right, it's not impossible.
I hear it's been done before........once.
But I don't think you can do it.
Go ahead, try, I double dare you.

[sparkly]

then i TRIPLE dare! (or is it double DOG dare that comes next... ). especially if it's so easy to do!!! why have i been waiting 4yrs for this and copy-pasting??!!?

[jordansparks]

I just added it as a feature request. Somebody's gonna have to vote for it. None of this is difficult. There are just a thousand different potential features competing for our time.

[savvy]

Sure, take the easy way out.
You know darn well that no one will vote because they are nothing but BIG CHICKENS!!
Not only that, but they probably can't find it on the Request List even if they know what to look for.
They'll just keep going round and round in a circle, just a big 360.

[murmsk]

Now don't push this ahead of MY selfishly promoted pet projects (Finish digital xray support) !
haha
Now where do I vote

steve

[sparkly]

i'd like to know when our 100 points gets renewed. we can't have just 100 points for the next 800 versions. like when we hit version 7, can we have 100 again? or maybe for each version we get 100...

steve, i'll vote for your xrays if you vote for my full email

[jordansparks]

As soon as a feature is in progress or complete, it's supposed to relinquish the points. So you always have the 100 points, and you periodically redistribute them yourself. You never lose them and you never get more.

[fishdrzig]

As an example, I now have Outlook express set up and ready for OD. How can I attatch a chart or FMX from OD to an email to send to another Dr. ??

[drtech]

I have a "hidden" custom button for this purpose for e-mail and to import lots of pictures fast. It opens the pt's A-Z folder in an explorer window and then you can just right click the files you want to send and use window's method of Send to | Mail recipient. That way it just opens right into outlook express.
We may want to enable that button for everyone if there is demand or another work around until e-mailing is a little easier. In the last year, Jordan and greatly increased OD e-mail capabilities. Currently you can e-mail out directly from open dental and don't even need to use outlook for outgoing. The only problem really is that there is no address book when you are trying to send to labs or referrals and not the pt's own e-mail.

[fishdrzig]

Is it possible for me to enable that "hidden" button or not? If not, then how do you suggest attatching a chart or FMX from a patients file in OD to an email to send out? Thanks

[drtech]

just hit the e-mail button on the top toolbar of Open Dental and then attach button in that window. That will allow you to attach anything you need.

[fishdrzig]

The email button is greyed out in the trial version, so I cannot do what you suggest. Just wanted to know that it will be working in the full version.

[sparkly]

I'm not familiar with what is accessible in the trial version, but in case you need this for your live version too...
Do you have an email address in the email field for the patient? The email button then becomes active.
If you'd like to send to a specialist, have his name in the REFERRALS list along with an email address. Then, go to Family module and add him as Referred To under the patient's account. Then when you hit the arrow on the email button, it lists any patient referral email addresses. If you go this route, the patient's name also automatically populates in the Subject box of the email.

You still have the Attach button on the right hand side that automatically takes you to the patient's A-Z folder (if you've already saved the image there) or you can browse the computer as usual to attach your doc. (FYI, if you save in the A-Z folder, it's frustrating because the autonaming puts patient name and a NUMBER, so unless you know the number, you have no idea what's saved because there is'nt a description, eg Joe's111308FMX becomes SmithJoe243).

[fishdrzig]

Thanks for the info, I got it figured out now, except for one thing. How do I attatch patient notes and charts to an email to send to someone?

[jordansparks]

We have a feature to print Progress Notes. You probably have to install a PDF printer from a third party. "Print" to this virtual printer which will create a pdf for you. Attach that pdf to your email.

[fishdrzig]

Can you give me a link as to where to get this PDF printer? Thanks

[jordansparks]

http://www.cutepdf.com/

[fishdrzig]

Since I have to purchase Microsoft Word, I was wondering if Word would do the same thing as the link you gave me?

[sparkly]

Word is just word processing, cutepdf is a virtual printer. You could use Word to import your Print-screen to, but that's not the same as printing the file.

[drtech]

Instead of buying Microsoft Word, just download open office from: http://download.openoffice.org/ it does about everything you will need and compatible with all Microsoft word files and is FREE!

[fishdrzig]

I have downloaded openoffice to all the computers, but apparently I still need to download Microsoft Word to the computer(s) I will be using for the letter merge function. -----