March Updates

Secure & Compliant SMS Appointment Reminders

To ensure our appointment reminders continue to reach your patients reliably, we have updated our SMS opt-in workflows. These changes align BestNotes with the latest industry-wide telecommunications regulations, protecting your practice from being flagged for non-compliance.

Why are we making this change?

Telecommunications carriers have significantly tightened regulations regarding automated "short code" messaging (like our 94585 alerts). To ensure our messages are not blocked or flagged as spam, we are implementing stricter consent tracking as outlined in the CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook.

By capturing explicit, auditable consent, we ensure your appointment reminders remain compliant and maintain the highest delivery rates possible.

Visual Status Tracking

We’ve added clear visual cues to the patient chart header so you can see reminder status at a glance without opening a profile:

• Blue SMS Icon: The patient has not yet completed the opt-in process. Automated appointment reminders are currently inactive.
• Green SMS Icon: The patient is opted-in. Appointment reminders are active.

Capturing Consent

1. Digital Opt-In (Email Invitation)

The system now automates the collection of digital consent once initiated by a provider.

• Step 1: In the Edit Client screen, enter a valid mobile number and primary email.
• Step 2: The Notify via SMS checkbox will now become available. Check this box to initiate the process.
• Step 3: A secure opt-in link is automatically sent to the patient's primary email address.
• Step 4: Once the patient submits the digital form, the icon turns Green instantly, and the checkbox is fully enabled.

2. Verbal Opt-In (In-Person or Phone)

If you are speaking with a patient who wants reminders active immediately:

• Navigate to the patient's Contact Manager.
• Click the Record Verbal SMS Opt-In button at the top of the chart.
• Read the legal script exactly as it appears in the modal window.
• Confirm their mobile number and click Submit Consent.
• The system immediately logs the action and enables reminders.

Compliance & Opt-Outs

• Patient-Led Opt-Out: If a patient texts STOP, QUIT, or CANCEL to 94585, BestNotes immediately disables their appointment reminders and logs the date/time. To protect patient choice, you cannot manually re-enable this; the patient must complete a new digital opt-in form to resume reminders.
• Provider-Led Opt-Out: If a patient asks you to stop reminders, unchecking the Notify via SMS box will automatically record your Username and a Timestamp in the audit log to maintain a clear compliance trail.
• Note on Migration: We have migrated all existing Notify via SMS settings into this new system. Your current active patients do not need to re-opt in. For tracking purposes, all migrated records share a specific, unified timestamp in the audit log to identify them as pre-existing consents.

Have questions about carrier compliance? You can review the full CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook for further details on messaging requirements.

ASAM Adult Criteria© , 4th Edition Now Available!

We're excited to announce we now have the ASAM Criteria©, 4th Edition available directly inside the assessment workflow, including criteria selection, risk ratings, and level of care recommendations. View our Support Article and video walkthrough to learn more.

Available by permission from the ASAM Criteria, Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-occurring Conditions. Fourth Edition © 2023 American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).

Portal Updates: Patient Portal and Application Manager

This feature update grants the ability to request, track, and receive supporting documents directly from your applicants as a Custom Document Request system. Admission staff can now define specific files—such as Insurance Cards, Discharge Summaries, or Treatment Records—that applicants must upload to complete their submission.

Why It Matters

Collecting supporting documentation is often the biggest bottleneck in the admissions process. By moving this into the digital portal, you:

• Reduce Friction: Eliminate messy email threads and "lost" attachments.
• Improve Data Security: Ensure sensitive medical documents are uploaded directly into your secure BestNotes environment.
• Increase Clarity: Applicants see exactly what is missing via a real-time "Incomplete" status and specific upload prompts.

Visit the help documentation page to learn how to configure and use these new features in your database: New Portal Features

February Updates

New: Submit a Ticket within BestNotes

We are excited to announce a new, streamlined way to request assistance. You can now submit support tickets directly within the BestNotes application, eliminating the need to switch to your email client to contact us.

What’s Changing

We have added a Create Support Ticket option located within the Help Center menu (the “i” icon). This feature opens a dedicated submission form where you can describe your issue, attach relevant files, and send your request directly to our support team.

Why It Matters

Faster Triage: The system automatically populates your specific Site ID, User ID, and System Administrator (SA) status. This ensures your ticket is immediately routed to the correct department without the support team needing to ask for your account details.

Efficiency: You can categorize your request (for example, Help Desk or Documentation) right from the start.

Convenience: You can add a callback number and attachments without leaving your current workflow.

How to Use It

1. Log in to BestNotes.
2. Click the Information (i) icon in the top navigation bar.
3. Select Create Support Ticket from the dropdown menu.
4. A form will appear with your Name, Email, and IDs already filled in.
5. Select the Type of request (for example, Help Desk).
6. (Optional) Enter a Call Back Phone Number.
7. Enter a Subject and a detailed Description of your request.
8. Click Add Files to upload screenshots or documents if necessary.
9. Click Submit Ticket.

Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation screen with a Ticket ID and a link to track your request.

Important Note

To use this feature, you must have a verified email address associated with your BestNotes user profile.

If you see an error message stating “We cannot process your support request,” please contact your System Administrator to update your profile with a valid email address.

Update to BestNotes Version 3.5.1

We recommend updating to BestNotes v3.5.1 as soon as possible. This release includes improvements like window focusing, which helps keep BestNotes easier to navigate when multiple windows are open, and auto-updating to ensure you stay current moving forward. The client will auto-update going forward, so no additional manual updates will be required after this release.

Please note: v3.5.1 will be required for all organizations going forward, so we encourage completing this update at your earliest convenience.

January Updates

New Feature: Enhanced Modifier Order Control in Calendar Ledger

We have introduced a dynamic "Modifier Order:" label within the appointment Ledger tab. This feature tracks the exact sequence of your selected modifiers in real time. Whether you are using system defaults or selecting modifiers manually, the order you see on your screen is now the order that will be transmitted to your billing provider or clearinghouse.

Why This Matters

• Reduced Denials: Many payers require specific sequencing for modifiers (e.g., pricing modifiers before informational ones).
• Less Manual Auditing: Eliminates the need for billing staff to manually re-order modifiers in the billing software after they’ve been pulled from BestNotes.
• Greater Transparency: You can now verify the exact string of modifiers (e.g., 95, GP, KX) directly within the appointment before the claim is even released.

How to Use It

Viewing the Modifier Order

1. Open an appointment on the Calendar.
2. Navigate to the Ledger tab.
3. Look for the new Modifier Order: label located directly beneath the modifier selection area.

Setting the Sequence

• Using Defaults: If a Ledger Code has a "Default Modifier" set in System Settings, it will automatically appear first in the order.
• Manual Selection: Click on additional modifiers to add them. They will appear in the order they are clicked.
• Removing Modifiers: Deselecting a modifier will remove it from the string, while the remaining modifiers automatically shift to maintain their relative sequence.

Transmitting the Claim

No extra steps are required. Once you save the appointment, the backend payload captures the specific order attribute and transmits it to your billing API or clearinghouse in that exact sequence.

New Feature: Scheduled User Invitations

Previously, sending a new user invitation triggered an immediate email with a link that expired after 24 hours. This created hurdles for administrators who set up accounts days or weeks in advance of a new hire's start date, often resulting in "link reset" requests on a new employee's first day.

With this update, you can create a user account at your convenience and ensure the activation email arrives exactly when the employee needs it.

Key benefits

Proactive onboarding: Set up accounts on Friday for a Monday morning start without the link expiring over the weekend.

Reduced support volume: Eliminate "IT trouble calls" during a new hire's first shift.

Automated timing: No need to log back in to manually "resend" invitations; BestNotes handles the delivery for you.

How it works

When creating a new user or editing an existing one in the User Details window, you will see a new scheduling section:

1. Navigate to the User tab.
2. Select the Schedule Invite checkbox.
3. Choose a Date: Use the Invite Date field to select the day you want the invitation to be sent.
4. Save: Once saved, the invitation is queued for delivery.

Note on timing: Scheduled invitations are sent at 4:00 AM CT on the date selected. This ensures the invitation is waiting in the user's inbox at the very start of their workday.