Vision Academy

Using Mail Manager (23 Minutes)

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Tel: 024-7642-2334  |  Email:training@inps.co.uk

Mail Manager Screen Overview

Mail Manager is accessed from the Messaging Menu on the front screen of Vision.

There is no separate Mailbox module for Mail Manager.

All messages are viewed from the Mail Manager interface, whether you are a receptionist, administrator, nurse or GP.

The Mail Manager interface contains three panes: Folder List, Message List and Message Details

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:12:02)

• Start-up Options
• Mail Manager Interface Overview
• Viewing Messages in the Folder List
• View User Alert and/or Sender(System) Alert
• Read or Unread Message Column
• Filing Status Column
• Viewing Messages for a Patient
• View Date / Message Type Filters
• Toggle to View Active Messages or All
• Overview of a Pathology Message
• View Message in Full Screen Mode
• Print Messages in Mail Manager
• Toggle Folder list pane
• Select All or Unselect All Messages

Message / Pathology Options

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:02:13)

This demonstrates some additional options that can be set up by the user when using Mail Manager.

The Message tab options only apply to the person currently logged on, while Pathology tab settings are practice wide and can only be changed by a System Manager.

• Message Options...
• Set Auto Refresh Time Period
• When New Messages Arrive
• Mark Messages as Read after x seconds
• Process Messages when Refresh Selected
• National Service Message Filters
• Default Choice when Message double-clicked
• GP2GP Assignment Options
• How to setup Double-click Choice
• Overview of Pathology Options...

Recommended Morning Tasks for Admin Staff

Here are some recommendations for those staff members responsible for dealing with new incoming pathology messages, e.g. making sure they are allocated to the correct clinician or staff member, assigned to a patient and the message details are filed to the patient record.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:06:27)

• Assign Message to Patient
• Filing Messages
• Dealing with Partially Filed Messages
• Assigning Invalid Units
• Filing results within a message
• Allocating Messages to Staff

Daily Tasks for Admin Staff

Here are some recommended protocols for those staff members responsible for making sure that all message actions set by clinicians or other staff members are carried out and completed.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:09:03)

• Viewing All Actions
• Completing Actions
• Informing Patient of Result(s)
• Viewing Archive Messages
• View Completed Messages
• Dealing with Unfiled Messages

Managing Filters in Mail Manager

Whilst on the Staff tab or Patients tab on the Folder List, you can apply a number of different filters from the Filter menu, which determine which messages are shown.

By selecting the Active or All icon, you can also filter between displaying just active messages (ie those not yet completed), or both active and inactive messages which will also display messages that have been completed and marked as read

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:06:27)

• Finding Messages for any Patient
• Displaying Other Messages for a Patient in Mail Manager
• Using the Date Filters for Showing Messages
• Filter to View only Outstanding
• Filter to View only Flagged Messages
• Understanding the Active / All toggle Filter

Using the Patient Filter Tab

Whilst on the Patients tab on the Folder List, you can apply a number of different filters from the Filter menu, which determine which messages are shown.

By selecting the Active or All icon, you can also filter between displaying just active messages (ie those not yet completed), or both active and inactive messages which will also display messages that have been completed and marked as read

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:05:10)

• Using the Date Filter to Show Messages
• Finding Messages for any Patient
• Relaying details of a message to the patient
• How to determine the original message and  a copy
• Completing an Action
• Understanding the Active / All toggle Filter

Toolbar Icons (Buttons)

Brief overview of the top toolbar icons (buttons) and there functions

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:03:04)

• Back | Forward
• Refresh
• Actions
• Tick
• Allocate
• Assign
• File
• Read
• Print
• All / Active (Toggle)
• Find
• ConMgr
• View

Filing Messages

The fourth column from the left on the Message List View is the filing status. This is a checkbox that appears for incoming items only.

Most practice use automatic filing where the result is Read coded in to the Journal in Consultation Manager upon receipt.

Any unfilled or partially filed items are normally dealt with by administrative staff, although you are able to file the result yourself at any stage. If filed, you can still carry out functions such as Mark as Read, Add Action, Copy Mail etc.

Note If you mark messages for bulk processing using the tick boxes, use the File – Ticked option or the relevant icons on the top toolbar. The functions on the right click menu will work only for the highlighted message.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:06:26)

• Filing Status Types
• Unable to File Messages Reason
• Filing Assigned Messages
• Explaination of Partially Filed
• Green Tick next to Result
• Assign Read codes / Valid Units (Red Cross)
• Consider Filing as Complete
• Opt to use either Manual or Auto Filing
• Dealing with Multi-tab Results
• Various Ways to File Results in a Message

How to Record Action(s) to a Message

Actions can be added to a result to convey information or request a particular action to be carried out. An action can be directed at an individual or to a group (e.g. receptionists, GPs, nurse etc).

Mail Manager allows you to enter one or more actions against a message. This can be allocated to different individuals or groups. To add more than one action, repeat the same process as adding an action. All of the actions attached to the message are shown in the Actions tab at the bottom of the message screen.

Note: If you add an action to a message by mistake (because you can add multiple actions in Mail Manager), re-selecting the correct action will result in the message having two actions. It is advisable that a completing Action Status of “Action Added by Mistake” is created in Control Panel; this is normally accessible to System Administrators. If this is selected when you have selected an action by mistake, the action will be completed and recorded, then you can right click on the message and select another action.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:08:54)

• Various Ways to Action a Message
• Frequent Action List or All Action List
• Overview of Add Action screen
• How to Add an Action to a Messages
• How to Action Multiple Messages
• Completing a Message with No Action Required
• Completing a Message by Action Status
• Use Double-click Method to Mark as Complete
• Dealing with Actions Assigned to You
• Adding Multiple Actions to a Message

Additional Message Preferences

An explanation of various other functions in Mail Manager.

Folder/ Result Notes

In effect there are two types of free text notes which can be added to messages in Mail Manager. These are known as Folder Notes and Result Notes.

Note: If Result or Folder notes are added to an result after it has been filed, the note will not appear on the Journal in Consultation Manager, although the notes are accessible through the View Mail for Patient icon.

Cancel/Supersede a message

An original message such as an XML Pathology result can be marked as Cancel/Superseded if a subsequent message has updated the original

Cancel/Supersede is available providing:

• The result is not a copy/action message
• The result is an incoming message
• The result is not an archived message
• The result filing status is not already cancelled or a withdrawn message
• The Staff has rights to the result

Cancel / Supersede will:

• Delete all copy results for the selected result
• Set the filing status to Cancelled / Superseded
• Mark the result as read
• Mark the result as actioned and not as outstanding Action
• A Cancelled / Superseded result that has been read with no outstanding Action will be treated as completed result (regardless of whether it has a staff or patient allocated)

Although the result is marked as complete, if the user amends the result so that it is no longer actioned (e.g. Mark as unread), then the result will no longer be deemed complete.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:06:04)

• Various ways to Mark Messages as Read
• Re-Allocate Message to another Staff Member
• Copy Message to another Staff Member
• Add / Remove a User Alert
• About System Alerts
• Add a Result Note to a Message
• Add a Folder Note to a Message
• Cancelled/Superseded Messages
• View Patient Details from a Message
• Recover an Archived Message

Consultation Manager

Although we recommend that actions are completed from Mail Manager as this is much quicker, you can still view and complete actions from Consultation Manager.

Note Clicking on the Complete Action button will complete any action on the currently highlighted result; you will be unable to read any extra free text that the person setting the action might have added. This text can only be read by looking at the full result (View Result).

Once an Action has been completed it cannot be undone, another action would need to be added.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:05:17)

• Viewing Messages via the Letterbox icon
• Different Message View Filters
• Viewing Message Details
• Filing results from the Letterbox
• Printing A Message from Consultation Manager
• Dealing with Actions from the Letterbox
• Adding an Action from the Letterbox
• Completing Actions from the letterbox

Setting up the Security Module

Setting up security rights for Mail Manager is a safety pre-caution, so that only staff that view messages in Mail Manager can be sent messages.

If a staff member does not have rights to Mail Manager no messages can be sent to them, therefore no messages can be missed.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:03:16)

• About Setting up Security Rights
• Making Changes in Security
• Removing Groups in Security
• Adding Groups in Security
• Adding Staff in Security

Set up and Manage Staff Groups

Staff Groups are user-defined groups of practice staff members that can be selected en masse, for the purposes of copying or actioning messages (Action By) in Mail Manager; for instance, a staff group of Receptionists, or of GPs, or Health Visitors.

All columns are sortable - click on the column header (eg Surname, Role etc) which sorts in ascending or descending order. Note The Staff Groups facility in Control Panel is only available once the Mail Manager / Mail Maintenance features are switched on. Prior to that, the Staff Groups tab is hidden.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:04:36)

• About Staff Groups
• Managing Staff Groups in Control Panel
• Adding Staff Groups
• Add Staff Members to Groups
• View which Staff belong to which Groups
• Removing Staff from Groups
• Edit a Staff Group
• Delete Staff Group

Set up Staff Access Rights to View Messages

Staff Access allows for viewing and maintenance of staff access rights. Everyone has access to their own mail only, unless they are given extra access rights to other staff members by a System Administrator. The System Administrator will need access to everyone’s mail and also unallocated mail (i.e. messages that have not been allocated to a member of staff).

It is also recommended that two other Administrative staff are given access to view unallocated mail as well as the System Manager.

During an absence there is no need to redirect mail within Mail Manager. You are simply able to give another user the rights to view mail for the period of the staff absence.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:04:12)

• About Staff Access Rights
• Managing Staff Access in Control Panel
• Adding Staff Access Rights to View Messages
• Assigning the Unallocated Mailbox
• Allowing Temporary Access to View Another Mailbox
• View Users Access Rights
• Removing Staff Access Rights
• Edit Staff Access Period of Time

Adding Action Status Messages

Action Status relate to the progress of actions and are implemented in a similar way to action codes. For example, a receptionist might select the action status of “Patient not available” if she/he was unable to contact the patient. The Action Status is maintained in Control Panel – Mail Maintenance – Action Status.

There are two folders where Action Status can be recorded:

Initial Status – There is only one action status allowed in here which is normally Newly Actioned. This action status is given newly actioned messages by default.

Selectable - The Selectable action status is manually picked by the user when required as the status of the message changes (e.g. Awaiting Patient Contact or Completed Action).

Note: Some practices might not wish to use the selectable action status functionality at all. Additionally no audit trail is recorded for these.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:04:40)

• About Action Status Messages
• Adding an Action Status Message
• Editing an Action Status Message
• Removing an Action Status Message
• Changing the Order of Status Messages

Adding Actions for Messages

Actions are created and maintained in Control Panel – Mail Maintenance – Actions. When you first go into Mail Manager after switching XML Pathology on, you will be prompted automatically if you would like the Actions used in the previous Mailbox / Mail Administrator to be converted into Mail Manager.

The contents and display order of the Actions list is maintainable by you in Mail Maintenance as are the Action Status codes which track the course of an action.

In Mail Maintenance, you can define actions into two lists: Frequent Actions, where you can determine the order, and Additional Actions. Actions you no longer need are placed in Discontinued Actions.

Note that you cannot add actions to GP2GP messages. Until you are using other XML messages such as pathology.

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:03:28)

• About Actions for Messages
• Adding Actions to the Frequent List
• Editing an Action
• Changing the Order of Actions in the List
• Adding Actions to the Additional List
• Removing an Action from a List
• About the Patient Specific Option

About Archiving in Mail Manager

Depending on how many messages you are receiving in Mail Manager, you will need eventually to adopt an archiving strategy to declutter your screen. We advise that in the early days, you should archive at least once a week and as time goes on, possibly daily. Individual users can archive their own messages but, depending on Staff Access rights, you are also able to archive other users’ messages.

Archiving has two functions - to speed up access and clean up displays by suppressing historical data unlikely to be of relevance.

You are able to archive just the messages which are allocated to you, those you have rights to or messages for specific users.

Rules for Archiving XML Pathology Messages

The criteria for archiving XML messages is defined on an individual practice basis based on a set of defaults. These criteria are:

1. The message must be read.
2. There must be no outstanding actions on the message (this does not refer to GP2GP messages as actions cannot be attached to these)
3. Non-GP2GP messages must be at least 30 days old (from date of receipt) (though you can amend this period, the minimum being 30 days). Archiving of GP2GP messages varies according to message type and status and the age of the message

In addition:

• You cannot archive unallocated messages
• You cannot archive messages with outstanding actions
• You cannot archive messages with the last completed action less than 7 days old

Automatic Archiving - England

Mail Manager will automatically archive the following incoming messages as long as they have been successfully acknowledged (i.e. with a status of Sent or Complete).

• ETP Messages
• Choose and Book/E-booking Messages
• PDS Update Messages
• GP Summary Messages

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:07:40)

• About Archiving Messages
• Information on Automatic Archiving
• How to run the Archive facility
• Overview of the Archive Options
• How to Archive a Single Message
• Viewing Archived Messages
• Recover a Message from Archive

Pre-Checks before starting GP2GP

Video Content - (Video Duration: 00:01:17)

Text Explanation written below extracted from the "Mail Manager Setup for System Managers" User Guide

Organisations

Before starting GP2GP, check in Control Panel - File Maintenance under Organisations that you do not have an organisation with the same name as the practice.

For example, the practice may be called The Medical Centre, but you also have an Organisation under General Practitioner Fundholder called The Medical Centre.

In this case, when trying to send a GP2GP extract with a referral in it with the organisation / hospital being the Fundholder, GP2GP cannot distinguish which organisation the department is linked to so the hospital is not sent through and is missing from the referral screen at the receiving practice.

So if there are ANY duplicate names within Organisations, change one of them. In the example above, the General Practitioner Fundholder name could be changed to The Medical Centreold.