Earlier appointments

 

A new feature in our scheduling system lets us notify you about earlier availability for certain types of appointments. Once you schedule an appointment, you are placed on a waiting list to receive an earlier appointment time.

Appointments usually fill quickly. If you do not see a notice about an earlier appointment when you sign in to the secure member site, it means the appointment is no longer available.

Am I the only one who received this new appointment time?

No, offers are sent to multiple patients and are first come, first served. Once a patient accepts an offer, it will show as expired for anyone else who received it.

What does it mean if I see an expired appointment offer?

This means another patient has already accepted the offer, or the time limit has expired.

I was able to see I had an expired offer, but when I looked again, it was gone.

This is an alert. Once you view it, the alert goes away.

How long is an offer good for?

Offers vary anywhere between 30 to 55 minutes. They expire if someone accepts an offer or if it exceeds the time limit.

Who is eligible to receive earlier appointment offers?

Patients who are registered for secure online services, excluding children 13 to 17 years old.

Can my child under 13 years old receive an earlier appointment offer?

Yes. If you currently get notifications for your child, you will receive these offers as well.

Are earlier appointment offers available for all specialty appointments?

No, not all services are included at this time.

Is text messaging available for these alerts?

Yes. Text message alerts are available. To manage these, go to Text Notification/SMS in Account Preferences.

How can I opt out of text message alerts?

To opt out, go to Text Notification/SMS in Account Preferences.

Can I be removed from receiving email notifications about earlier appointment offers?

No, we can’t exclude these offers and still allow you to receive notifications from your provider for lab results, tests results, etc.

Are there specific times when appointment offers are sent?

Yes. They are sent throughout the day and evening.

Will I receive multiple offers for the same appointment?

Yes. You can receive up to 2 offers per appointment each day.

How do I get off the waiting list to receive these offers?

If you no longer want to be on the waiting list for your current appointment, call your medical center to have them remove you.

What happens to my original appointment when I accept an offer?

Once you accept an offer, your original appointment is cancelled and you are removed from the waiting list.

What if I accept the offer in error?

If you accepted an appointment in error, please call your medical center to reschedule the appointment. Note that your original appointment may no longer be available.

What if I decline the offer in error?

If you declined the offer in error, you will remain on the waiting list and will receive another offer when an earlier appointment becomes available. You can also call your medical center to see if that specific appointment is still available.