Creating an Appointment in the EMR

Who this is for

Providers using the EMR
Organization-based staff scheduling and documenting billable client sessions

Overview

Appointments are required to log client sessions in the EMR. They can be created ahead of time or added retroactively after a session has been completed. This workflow ensures all session activity is properly captured and remains compliant.

Appointments capture the following information:

Client and provider information
Appointment details: date, time, duration, and location
DAP Notes
Individual Recovery Plan (IRP) progress notes

Before you begin:

Your client must be fully approved by the Admin before you can create an appointment. If a client has not yet been approved, the Create New Appointment option will be unavailable.

For a client's first appointment, make sure the Basic Needs and Individual Recovery Plan (IRP) steps have been completed first.

Common issues:

You can’t schedule appointments and complete documentation because the client isn’t fully approved by the Org Admin.
You’re unsure how to complete the DAP note after creating the appointment.

Creating an appointment

There are three ways an appointment can be created in the EMR:

Option 1: Using the Add Button

In the left-hand navigation, click Add and select Appointment.
Search for and select the client.
Fill out the required fields and click Create.

Option 2: From the Client list

In the left-hand navigation, click Clients.
Locate the client and click the calendar icon in the far-right column.
Fill out the required fields and click Create.

Option 3: From the Client Profile

In the left-hand navigation, click Clients.
Locate and click the client's name to open their profile.
On the right side of the profile, click Create New Appointment.
A dialog box will appear with the client's name pre-filled.
Fill out the required fields and click Create.

Answer Crisis & Initiation Questions

Indicate whether your client was or is in crisis.
Indicate whether your client initiated this appointment.

Enter Date & Time Information

Select the date and time of the appointment.
Enter the session duration (e.g., 15 minutes).

Appointments can be scheduled ahead of time or created retroactively after a session has been completed.

Editing Appointment Times

When you edit an existing appointment, the system temporarily removes it from the schedule. This allows you to adjust the time or duration without the appointment conflicting with itself. Keep in mind that changing the duration may affect which start times are available.

Example: You have the following appointments on the same day:

7:00 AM — 1 hour
8:15 AM — 45 minutes
9:00 AM — 1 hour

When you edit the 7:00 AM appointment, the system ignores it while checking availability.

If you increase the duration to 1.5 hours, the appointment would run from 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM — overlapping with the 8:15 AM appointment. This makes 7:00 AM an invalid start time.

The earliest valid start time for a 1.5-hour appointment would be 6:45 AM, which allows the session to end just before the 8:15 AM appointment begins.

As a result, you may notice more start times are unavailable when you increase the duration. This is expected behavior and helps prevent scheduling conflicts.

Enter Location Information

Choose whether the appointment was In Person or Telehealth
Select the client's location from the dropdown menu.
If the appointment was in person, enter the client's address.

Submit the Appointment

If the appointment should not be submitted to billing (e.g., non-billable services, over daily limits), check Mark as Non-Billable. Otherwise, leave it unchecked.

When ready, click Submit. The appointment will be created and you'll be taken automatically to the Appointment Documentation tab.

Complete the DAP Note

After meeting with your client, complete all three parts of the DAP note:

Data — Document what happened during the session. Include subjective details (what the client shared in their own words, how they described their feelings) and objective details (what you observed, such as behavior, mood, or participation). Focus on facts and observations, not interpretations.
Assessment — Based on the data, describe how the client appears to be doing. Note any progress, challenges, or patterns you observed. Focus on understanding and supporting the client, not diagnosing.
Plan — Outline the next steps. Include what you and the client agreed to work on, any resources or support shared, and any follow-up actions. Note how the client responded to the plan (e.g., motivated, unsure, encouraged, or had concerns).
Click Save. This does not submit your notes to billing — save your progress as you go.

Update the Individual Recovery Plan (IRP) Goals

In addition to the DAP note, document any progress the client has made toward their IRP goals. For a client's first appointment, the IRP will include the following Basic Needs goals:

Food
Clothing
Shelter
Technology/Phone

Additional goals can be added to the IRP at any time.

To add a progress note to a goal:

Click on a goal in the IRP section to expand the Progress Note area.
Add a progress note tied to that goal.
If the client has completed the goal, add a progress note and check Mark Goal Completed.
Click Save. This does not submit your notes to billing — save your progress as you go.

Submit your Documentation

Once your DAP note and IRP progress notes are complete and saved, you're ready to submit.

Click the submission button at the bottom of the page — the label will vary depending on the appointment type:

Billable appointments: Submit to Billing
Non-billable appointments: Mark as Completed

A dialog box will appear confirming the program, start time, and end time of the appointment. Review the details, then check the box to certify the accuracy and validity of the session before clicking Submit or Completed.

Troubleshooting

Unable to create an appointment
- Check that the client’s assessment is uploaded and current
- Check the insurance information has been entered correctly and approved by the Org Admin.
- Check all dates are accurate and up to date and there are no flags/warnings visible.
Unable to submit documentation
- Ensure that the date and time of the appointment is correct.
- You cannot submit documentation in advance of an appointment.