Overview
Workflow automation reduces manual effort by automatically triggering actions based on events, schedules, or conditions. This guide covers available automations, how to configure them, and best practices.Benefits: Automation reduces errors, ensures consistency, saves time, and allows team members to focus on higher-value work.
Automation Types
Event-Based
Triggers when something happens (patient enrolled, visit completed)
Scheduled
Runs at specified times (daily reports, weekly checks)
Condition-Based
Triggers when conditions are met (SLA approaching, status unchanged)
Approval Workflows
Routes items for review and approval
Available Automations
Patient Automations
| Automation | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| New Enrollment Alert | Patient enrolled | Notify provider, create welcome task |
| Status Change Notification | Status changes | Notify relevant parties |
| Hospitalization Workflow | Marked hospitalized | Cancel visits, pause meds, create follow-up |
| Discharge Follow-Up | Patient discharged | Create records closure tasks |
| Birthday Reminder | Patient birthday | Generate birthday notification |
Visit Automations
| Automation | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Visit Reminder | 24 hours before visit | Notify facility |
| Visit Completed | Provider marks complete | Generate follow-up tasks |
| Missed Visit Alert | Visit marked missed | Notify ops, create reschedule task |
| Visit Summary | Visit completed | Send summary to facility |
Ticket Automations
| Automation | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Assignment | New ticket created | Assign based on rules |
| SLA Warning | SLA deadline approaching | Escalate, notify |
| SLA Breach | SLA exceeded | Alert manager, log |
| Follow-Up Reminder | Pending response | Remind agent |
| Auto-Close | No response 7 days | Close with notification |
Medication Automations
| Automation | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Refill Due | Refill date approaching | Create refill task |
| Prior Auth Needed | PA required | Create PA task, notify |
| Delivery Scheduled | Delivery set | Notify facility |
| Delivery Completed | Delivery confirmed | Update records |
Configuring Automations
Accessing Automation Settings
1
Navigate to Automation
Go to Admin → Automation or Workflow Settings
2
View Existing Automations
See list of configured automations
3
Filter by Type
Filter by category, status, or trigger type
Creating a New Automation
1
Click Create New
Click + New Automation
2
Name Your Automation
Give it a descriptive name
3
Select Trigger
Choose what starts the automation:
- Event (patient, visit, ticket event)
- Schedule (time-based)
- Condition (when criteria met)
4
Configure Conditions
Add conditions (optional):
- Only for certain facilities
- Only for specific statuses
- Only during business hours
5
Define Actions
Specify what happens:
- Send notification
- Create task
- Update field
- Trigger webhook
6
Set Delay (Optional)
Add delay before action runs
7
Test
Run test to verify behavior
8
Activate
Turn on the automation
Trigger Types
Event Triggers
Fire when something happens in the system:| Event Category | Events |
|---|---|
| Patient | Created, Updated, Status Changed, Discharged |
| Visit | Scheduled, Completed, Cancelled, Missed |
| Ticket | Created, Assigned, Resolved, Reopened |
| Medication | Ordered, Delivered, Refill Due |
| Task | Created, Completed, Overdue |
Schedule Triggers
Run at specified times:| Schedule Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Daily | Every day at 8:00 AM |
| Weekly | Every Monday at 9:00 AM |
| Monthly | First of month |
| Custom | Specific days/times |
Condition Triggers
Fire when conditions are met:| Condition | Example |
|---|---|
| Time-Based | Patient on hold >7 days |
| Threshold | Provider at 95% capacity |
| Count-Based | >10 tickets in queue |
| Date-Based | Insurance expiring in 30 days |
Action Types
Notifications
Send alerts to users:| Notification Type | Channels |
|---|---|
| In-App | Platform notifications |
| Email to user or distribution list | |
| SMS | Text message (if configured) |
| Slack | Slack channel or DM |
Task Creation
Automatically create tasks:1
Define Task Type
Select task category
2
Set Assignment
- Specific user
- Role-based
- Round-robin
- Based on patient’s provider
3
Set Due Date
- Immediate
- Days from trigger
- Specific date
4
Add Details
Task description, priority, related records
Field Updates
Automatically update record fields:| Update Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Status | Change patient status |
| Assignment | Reassign to different user |
| Date | Update last contact date |
| Flag | Set or clear flags |
Webhooks
Trigger external systems:1
Configure Webhook URL
Enter the endpoint URL
2
Set Method
POST, PUT, or custom
3
Define Payload
Data to send (JSON format)
4
Set Headers
Authentication and content type
Approval Workflows
Setting Up Approvals
1
Create Approval Workflow
Go to Automation → Approval Workflows → New
2
Define Trigger
What initiates the approval:
- Bulk operation request
- Time-off request
- Exception request
3
Set Approvers
Who can approve:
- Specific user
- Role (Manager, Admin)
- Multiple levels
4
Configure Routing
How approvals route:
- Sequential (one after another)
- Parallel (any can approve)
- Escalation rules
5
Define Outcomes
What happens on:
- Approval: Execute action
- Rejection: Notify requester
- Timeout: Escalate
Approval Actions
| Outcome | Actions |
|---|---|
| Approved | Execute requested action, notify requester |
| Rejected | Cancel request, notify with reason |
| Timeout | Escalate to next level or auto-reject |
Escalation Rules
Configuring Escalations
1
Define Escalation Trigger
When to escalate:
- SLA % remaining (e.g., 25%)
- Time elapsed
- No response
2
Set Escalation Path
Who receives escalation:
- Level 1: Team lead
- Level 2: Manager
- Level 3: Director
3
Define Actions
What happens on escalation:
- Notification to escalation target
- Reassignment
- Priority increase
SLA Escalation Example
| SLA Status | Time Remaining | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | 25% remaining | Email agent + supervisor |
| Critical | 10% remaining | Slack alert to team |
| Breached | 0% | Manager alert, log incident |
Common Automation Recipes
Hospital Admission Workflow
Trigger: Patient status → Hospitalized Actions:- Cancel all pending visits (delay: 0)
- Notify pharmacy to hold deliveries (delay: 0)
- Create task: “Follow up on hospitalization” (due: 3 days)
- Notify assigned provider (delay: 0)
New Patient Welcome
Trigger: Patient status → Active (first time) Actions:- Send welcome notification to facility
- Create task: “Verify patient setup complete”
- Schedule reminder for 7-day check-in
SLA Management
Trigger: Ticket age > 75% of SLA Actions:- Send warning to assigned agent
- If no action in 30 min: notify supervisor
- If SLA breached: log, alert manager
Insurance Expiration Warning
Trigger: Schedule - Daily at 8 AM Conditions: Insurance expires in 30 days Actions:- Create task: “Verify insurance renewal”
- Notify assigned ops team member
Monitoring Automations
Automation Dashboard
View automation performance:| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Runs Today | How many times automations triggered |
| Success Rate | % of runs completed successfully |
| Errors | Failed automation runs |
| Avg Runtime | How long automations take |
Automation Logs
1
Access Logs
Go to Automation → Logs
2
Filter
Filter by:
- Automation name
- Date range
- Status (success, failed)
3
Review Details
Click any log entry to see:
- Trigger details
- Conditions evaluated
- Actions taken
- Errors (if any)
Error Handling
Action failed
Action failed
Automation triggered but action couldn’t complete.Check:
- Target user/resource exists
- Permissions are correct
- External service is available
Condition evaluation error
Condition evaluation error
Couldn’t evaluate conditions.Check:
- Field references are valid
- Data types match
- Required fields exist
Webhook failed
Webhook failed
External webhook didn’t respond.Check:
- URL is correct
- Endpoint is available
- Authentication is valid
Managing Automations
Enabling/Disabling
1
Find Automation
Locate in automation list
2
Toggle Status
Click toggle to enable/disable
3
Confirm
Confirm if disabling active automation
Editing Automations
1
Open Automation
Click automation name to edit
2
Make Changes
Modify triggers, conditions, or actions
3
Test
Run test before saving
4
Save
Save changes
Deleting Automations
Best Practices
Automation Naming Convention
Use clear, descriptive names:| Good | Bad |
|---|---|
| ”New Patient - Create Welcome Task" | "Automation 1" |
| "Visit Missed - Notify Ops Team" | "Visit alert" |
| "SLA 75% - Warning Email" | "Escalation” |
Troubleshooting
Automation not triggering
Automation not triggering
Check:
- Automation is enabled
- Trigger conditions are correct
- Event is actually occurring
- No conflicting conditions
Wrong actions executing
Wrong actions executing
Check:
- Conditions are specific enough
- Not triggering on unintended events
- Test with specific scenarios
Duplicate actions
Duplicate actions
Check:
- Multiple automations covering same trigger
- Automation running multiple times
- Add conditions to prevent duplicates
Performance issues
Performance issues
Try:
- Reduce complexity
- Add delays between actions
- Limit scope with conditions