Ocean supports accepting brand new patients with healthcard numbers using Online Booking. This article details how to configure your Ocean Booking Schedules and Booking Links to support the acceptance of new patients, and the workflows used when accepting a brand new patient via online booking.
Configuration
1. Configure your Ocean Site to create new patients in your EMR.
- Login to the Ocean Portal. Open the 'Menu' in the top left corner and select 'Admin'.
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- Enable the 'Allow accepted online bookings to create patients in your EMR' checkbox.
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Choose between 'Manually import patients' or 'Automatically import patients':
When 'Manually import patients' is selected and a brand new patient books an appointment, Ocean will automatically add the appointment to the EMR schedule without an associated patient chart. Users can then trigger the chart creation via Ocean and manually link the chart to the EMR appointment.
When 'Automatically import patients' is selected and a brand new patient books an appointment, Ocean will automatically add the appointment to the EMR schedule and automatically create a new chart. Ocean will also automatically associate the new chart with the booked appointment.
Notes
• Allowing online bookings to automatically import patients to your EMR may result in patients creating invalid or duplicate charts.
• To ensure a seamless transition experience, any users wishing to enable the 'Automatically import patients' site setting for their Online Booking configuration are encouraged to contact your Ocean Practice Consultant before adjusting your Ocean Site settings.
- Click 'Save Changes'.
2. Configure the Ocean Booking Schedule.
- Under the 'Restrictions' heading, locate the setting titled 'Who is allowed to book into this schedule?' and set it to 'All Patients'.
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Under the 'Pre-Booking Form' heading, click 'Change' and select the 'Online Booking - New Patient Intake ' core form found in the Ocean eForm library.
This form captures the patient demographic information that is required to create new charts in your EMR, as well as basic contact information for the patient in the case that you need to contact them (e.g., sex, health card version code (if applicable), telephone number, email address).
Note: If you choose to customize the 'Online Booking - New Patient Intake' form or use a different Booking Form, ensure that your form captures at a minimum the same patient information that is captured by default in the 'Online Booking - New Patient Intake' form.
If your Booking Form does not capture the patient demographic information that is required to create new charts in your EMR, online booking will not function as expected.
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- Click the 'Save' button to save your Booking Schedule.
3. Configure the Ocean Booking Link.
Workflows for Accepting New Patients
Once your Ocean Site, Booking Schedule, and Booking Link have been configured to accept new patients, new patients (i.e., patients without an existing chart in your EMR) will be able to book online.
The workflow for accepting new patients depends on the choice you made in Step 1 when choosing between the 'Manually import patients' or 'Automatically import patients' patient chart creation options. Select the relevant tab below:
1. Identify when an appointment has been booked for a new patient.
Once an appointment has been booked for a new patient, an appointment will be created in your EMR schedule without an associated patient chart.
Tip: These appointments can be easily identified by the presence of the term '(HN not in EMR: ##########)' in the appointment details.

2. Import the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart.
- Once you're ready to create a chart in your EMR for the new patient, locate the booking in the 'Online Booking' area of the Ocean Portal, and click on it to open it.
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3. Link the newly created patient chart in your EMR to the booked appointment in your EMR schedule.
After importing the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart, you can perform the final step of linking the newly-created chart with the appointment in the EMR schedule:
1. Identify when an appointment has been booked for a new patient.
Once an appointment has been booked for a new patient, an appointment will be created in your EMR schedule without an associated patient chart.
Tip: These appointments can be easily identified by the presence of the term '(HN not in EMR: ##########)' in the appointment details.

2. Import the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart.
- Once you're ready to create a chart in your EMR for the new patient, locate the booking in the 'Online Booking' area of the Ocean Portal, and click on it to open it.
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3. Link the newly created patient chart in your EMR to the booked appointment in your EMR schedule.
After importing the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart, you can perform the final step of linking the newly-created chart with the appointment in the EMR schedule:
Default Patient Status of 'Unconfirmed'
By default, Med Access sets the 'Patient Status' for newly created patients by Ocean as 'Unconfirmed'. Please ensure that you update the Patient Status to the appropriate value (e.g., 'Active').
1. Identify when an appointment has been booked for a new patient.
Once an appointment has been booked for a new patient, an appointment will be created in your EMR schedule without an associated patient chart.
Tip: These appointments can be easily identified by the presence of the term '(HN not in EMR: ##########)' in the appointment details.

2. Import the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart.
- Once you're ready to create a chart in your EMR for the new patient, locate the booking in the 'Online Booking' area of the Ocean Portal, and click on it to open it.
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3. Link the newly created patient chart in your EMR to the booked appointment in your EMR schedule.
After importing the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart, you can perform the final step of linking the newly-created chart with the appointment in the EMR schedule:
1. Identify when an appointment has been booked for a new patient.
Once an appointment has been booked for a new patient, an appointment will be created in your EMR schedule without an associated patient chart.
Tip: These appointments can be easily identified by the presence of the term '(HN not in EMR: ##########)' in the appointment details.

2. Import the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart.
- Once you're ready to create a chart in your EMR for the new patient, locate the booking in the 'Online Booking' area of the Ocean Portal, and click on it to open it.
-
3. Link the newly created patient chart in your EMR to the booked appointment in your EMR schedule.
After importing the patient into your EMR to create a new patient chart, you can perform the final step of linking the newly-created chart with the appointment in the EMR schedule:
Default Patient Status of 'Unconfirmed'
By default, Med Access sets the 'Patient Status' for newly created patients by Ocean as 'Unconfirmed'. Please ensure that you update the Patient Status to the appropriate value (e.g., 'Active').