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How do practitioners action Quick Consult requests in the HotDoc Sidebar?

Last updated 11 March 2025 00:48   ∙   ~ minute read
Best Practice - Medical Director (Pracsoft) - Zedmed
Note: Please ensure you have completed the setup first using these steps:
How to set up practitioner accounts to use Quick Consults

This guide will show how a practitioner can use the HotDoc Sidebar to action their Quick Consults, repeat requests. This includes completing, declining or reassigning requests and how they can leave custom notes to communicate with patients. 

   In this article

  • The Practitioner Experience
    • Quick user guide (click through)
    • Video guide
    • One page quick guide PDF (Printable)
  • How to action requests in the Sidebar
    • Open HotDoc Sidebar and login 
    • View Pending Requests in the Practitioner's Sidebar
    • How to Approve or Reject a Repeat Request
    • Sending a custom note to a patient (optional)
    • How to reassign a request to a different practitioner?
  • Installed Sidebar Features
    • Open patient file automatically & pin request
    • New Pending Request Sidebar alerts

 


The Practitioner Experience

Quick user guide (click through)

For a quick guide on how to use this, click on the interactive guide below. 
Note: Click the arrow in the top right corner to enlarge the guide if viewing on desktop.  
To set up your practitioner account please follow these steps:
How to set up practitioner accounts to use Quick Consults

 

Video user guide

 

One page quick use PDF (printable) 

You can download or print this PDF using the icons below, or by opening the link at the bottom of this article. 

 

 


How to action requests in the Sidebar

Open Installed HotDoc Sidebar and login 

  1. Open the Sidebar on the practitioner's computer so that you can view and action pending requests. Locate the HotDoc Sidebar icon on the desktop of the computer and click to open. 

    hd toolbar.png

  2. Enter the registered practitioners email and password to log in to see the requests
    Screenshot 2023-08-23 at 1.27.35 pm.png

Open HotDoc Web Sidebar and login 

The HotDoc Web Sidebar is an alternate way we can enable practitioners to action Quick Consults. It doesn't offer the complete functionality of the downloaded Sidebar and will not be available if your practice is only using the installed sidebar.

  1. Open your browser and head to hotdoc.com.au/practitioner-view or click view my requests from your Quick Consults Notification Email.

    Screenshot 2024-05-16 at 3.56.09 PM.png
    If your practice is using the Web Sidebar, you will see this email. If your practice is only using the Installed Sidebar, you will see this email and will not be able to open the Web Sidebar.


  2. Enter the registered practitioners email and password to log in to see the requests
    Screenshot 2024-04-08 at 9.46.37 AM.png

Please note: Installing the Sidebar on the practitioner's computer is recommended so that you have full access to all Quick Consults features. If you're unable to install the Sidebar, you can open it in an internet browser or mobile device via this link: hotdoc.com.au/practitioner-view 

If HotDoc is missing from their computer, please refer to:
Install HotDoc Sidebar on the practitioner's computer

ⓘ Need help?

View Pending Requests in the Practitioner's Sidebar

To view a practitioner's pending repeat prescription or referral requests follow the below steps.

  1. Open the HotDoc Sidebar (refer to the steps above)

  2. Click on Pending Requests to see a full list of any outstanding requests.

  3. You will be able to view all of the information that the patient submitted online, and easily copy details to record them in their patient file.

    Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.44.08 PM.png
     
    Please Note: Actioned requests will not be visible in the Sidebar. Refer to the Dashboard to see a full list of all requests for the practice.  

How to Approve or Reject a Repeat Request

When a request is submitted by the patient, the funds are held in a pre-authorised state for 5 business days. If the request is not actioned within that time, the request will expire and the held funds are returned to the patient automatically within 5-10 business days.

The request will disappear from the Sidebar if it is expired and will only be visible in the Dashboard. Please contact the patient directly regarding their request. 

  • Clicking Mark as Complete or Reject will send an automatic email to the patient to notify them of the outcome.
  • The status of the request in the Dashboard will update to Complete or Rejected.
  • The request will be removed from the Sidebar.
  • Payment will be taken from the patient's card when you click Mark as Complete.
  • Payment will be returned to the patient's card when you click Decline request. Pre-authorised funds will be immediately released and will return to the requester's bank within 1-4 days.
ⓘ Important information


To approve a request the practitioner will complete the following steps:

  1. View the request in the Sidebar and open your Practice Management System to complete the request in the patient's file. Click Copy Request Details to easily paste and record this in the patient's file. 

    Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.29.07 PM copy.png

    Example of a prescription request
  2. Once you've completed the request in your practice software, return to the Sidebar and add add a note to send to the patient if required. This will be attached in their confirmation email
    • Note: For medical certificates, and imaging and pathology referrals, please use the notes to communicate with the patient how they can expect to receive the request from you.

      Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.29.35 PM.png
  3. Click the Mark as Complete button to notify the patient and collect payment from their card:

    Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.29.07 PM copy 2.png

 

To decline a request the practitioner will complete the following steps:

  1. View the request in the Sidebar, you can choose to Copy Request Details to easily paste and record this in the patient's file. 

    Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.29.07 PM copy.png

     

    Example of a script request
  2. Add an optional note with more information which will send to the patient in their confirmation email, then click decline.
    • If you click copy request details after adding your note, this will be included in the copy.

      Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.31.47 PM.png

  3. Confirm if you'd like to decline the request and click Proceed with request decline. This will notify the patient and return the funds to their card:

    Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.30.13 PM.png

Sending a custom note to a patient (optional)

You can add a note to communicate with the patient when completing or rejecting a request in the Sidebar. The note will be added to the email that is automatically sent to the patient For medical certificates, and imaging and pathology referrals where a delivery method is not specified, please use the notes to communicate with the patient how they can expect to receive the request from you.

  1. View the request in the Sidebar

  2. Locate the Send a note to the patient (optional) field and enter the note to communicate directly with the patient about their request. 

    Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 12.40.41 PM.png

  3. The note will appear in the email that is sent to the patient after the request has been actioned:
note.png declined with note.png

Example of approval email

 

Example of rejected email

Includes booking link to make an appointment

 


How to reassign a request to a different practitioner?

Practitioners can reassign a request to a different practitioner who offer this request type from within the Sidebar by following these steps: 

  1. Locate the request in the Sidebar:
    Screenshot 2024-07-17 at 3.10.12 PM.png

  2. Click Reassign request:
    Screenshot 2024-07-17 at 3.10.12 PM copy.png

  3. Select a practitioner from the list and select Re-assign:
    Screenshot 2024-07-17 at 3.10.34 PM.png

    Please note

    The HotDoc Practitioners displayed for reassignment:

    • Must be set up and active for this Quick Consults request type
    • Must be linked to an active practitioner in your practice management system (PMS).

    If you can't find the practitioner you wish to re-assign this request to please speak to your Practice Manager or Admin Staff

     
  4. You will receive confirmation that it has been successful:
    Screenshot 2024-07-17 at 3.30.21 PM.png
     
  5. Your fellow practitioner will see the following message, letting them know it has been reassigned from you to them:
    Screenshot 2024-07-17 at 3.27.16 PM.png

 


Installed Sidebar Features

Below is a list of features that are only available if you download and instal the HotDoc Sidebar on a practitioners work station. If you are using the HotDoc Web Sidebar and try to use these features you will receive the below prompts to get started with the installed sidebar:

Screenshot 2024-04-08 at 11.10.53 AM.png

 

Open patient file automatically & pin request

Practitioners can easily open the patient's file in the practice management system (PMS) directly from the HotDoc Sidebar if we find a patient match. You can also pin the request so that it remains on your screen while completing a request. 

  • HotDoc will check the first name, last name & DOB on the request and match this against existing files in your PMS. 
  • If an exact match can't be located, the Mobile Number & DOB will then be used to locate a file.

  • If a file can not be exactly matched, the Open patient file option will not appear on the Sidebar
  • The practitioner can use the copy function to help search for the file manually within their practice management system
ⓘ Matching Criteria

 

  1. Click Open patient file button and this will open the patient file in your PMS:
    (Currently Best Practice and Medical Director users only)

    open patient file.png

  2. If we're unable to find a match to the patient file in your PMS (or if using Zedmed), click the icon next to the patient's name, DOB or mobile number to copy, and paste this in your PMS to find and open the patient file. 

    copy patient details.png

  3. Select Pin request so it remains on your screen whilst you action a request in your practice software:

    pin request.png

 

New Pending Request Sidebar alerts

If a request is submitted to the practitioner throughout the day an alert will pop up on their screen to notify them of any new requests that require action:

new repeat notification with sidebar view copy.png

 



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  • Quick Consults - Quick guide for drs managing repeat requests.pdf
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  • How do I enable Payment Automations for Best Practice (automatically collect and receipt invoice)
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