The Patient Message Inbox provides a centralized location for managing patient communications sent through the Canvas Patient App. This article explains how to access, filter, read, and respond to patient messages while ensuring timely communication and effective care coordination.

User's Guide

Accessing Patient Messages

Patient messages can be accessed directly from the Schedule View in the user panel.

1. Navigate to the schedule view

2. Click the speech bubble in the user panel

   • The red badge icon indicates the number of unread messages for the user.

     

3. The message view will open to show all unread messages for the logged in user.

   

4. Click the message to be brought to the patient's chart

Reading Patient Messages

To view and mark messages as read:

1. Navigate to the desired patient chart

2. Locate new messages by finding the speech bubble icon with down arrow and blue dot

3. Click on the desired message to expand it

4. Click the image within the

5. Select "Mark as Read"

6. Click on the patient name within the message to navigate to their chart if needed

Filtering Messages

The Message header provides filtering options to help you organize and prioritize your inbox. By default the message view will default to the unread messages for the logged in user. The view can be changed by modifying the filters.

1. Select the drop-down menu of the desired filter

   • Status: Filter by read or unread messages

     • Unread

     • Read

   • Recipient: Filter by specific users

     • Me: logged in user

     • Any: all users

     • Other staff: all staff excluding the user

     • Individual: select the name of an individual staff member to view only their messages

Understanding Message Types and Icons

Messages are visually distinguished by icons and indicators:

• New incoming messages: Speech bubble icon with down arrow and blue dot, with "New Message" text displayed in the title. The recipient's profile picture and name appear to the right of the message.

• Outgoing messages: Speech bubble with up arrow icon displayed before the message

• API-received messages: Display a "Received" timestamp to the right of the message. Hover over the "Received" text to view the full date. The timestamp becomes visible when the message note is expanded.

• Incoming messages: Speech bubble with down arrow icon displayed before the message

Reading Patient Messages

To view and mark messages as read:

1. Navigate to the desired patient chart

2. Locate new messages by finding the speech bubble icon with down arrow and blue dot

3. Click on the desired message to expand it

4. Select "Mark as Read"

5. Click on the patient name within the message to navigate to their chart if needed

NOTE: The default recipient of an incoming patient message is the patient's assigned care team lead. For more information, see the Care Teams knowledge center article.

Sending Messages to Patients

To send a message to a patient:

1. Navigate to the patient chart

2. Select "Message" under the New Note dropdown

3. Type your message or select a template in the appropriate field

4. If needed, select the correct location

5. Click "Send"

Configuration & Set Up

Care Team Assignment

Patient messages automatically route to the designated care team lead for each patient. To ensure proper message delivery:

• Prerequisites: Patients must have a Team Lead assigned in their Care Team

• Admin permissions: Care team assignments are managed through the Care Team settings

Important: If a patient does not have a Team Lead assigned, messages sent from that patient will not automatically assign to any individual user.

Patient App Link Expiration

Patient app access links have built-in security features:

• Links expire after being clicked

• Links expire 3 hours after being sent if not opened

• Expiration time can be configured in Organization Settings under accessTokenExpirationInSeconds

FAQ & Troubleshooting

Q: How can I manage messages for my provider?

A: Use the filters to filter by your provider to see incoming messages. Once the panel is filtered as desired, create a bookmark in Chrome as an easy link back to this view.

Q: What happens if the patient does not have a Team Lead in the Care Team?

A: A message sent from the patient will not automatically assign to an individual user. Ensure all patients have a designated Team Lead for proper message routing.

Q: Do patient app links expire?

A: Yes, links expire after being clicked and also expire 3 hours after being sent if not opened. This can be configured in Organization Settings under accessTokenExpirationInSeconds.

Related Resources

• Care Teams – Learn how to assign and manage care team leads for proper message routing

• Patient App Overview – Understanding patient communication capabilities

• Organization Settings – Configure patient app link expiration settings

Keywords: patient messages, inbox, patient app, care team, message filtering, patient communication, unread messages

Categories: Patient Communication, Patient App, Care Team Management