Clicksend: SMS, MMS, Email, Fax, Voice - Anyone using this?

Seems like Clicksend has a lot to offer and I’m interested in sending/receiving faxes within OpenEMR in addition to SMS/MMS and email (folks in my field - mental health - don’t commonly use Direct Message/FHIR).

Before I dive in to working on this, just wondering if anyone has ideas, comments, or suggestions.

1 Like

OpenEMR has code already that works with Clickatel. I’ve been working on a project that improves two-way messaging. The current community module is buggy and has its issues, and I’ve made significant improvements. I can keep you posted once I complete the two way messaging.

I also have a module coming out with 5.0.1 that embeds two-way messaging into the background of openEMR. It won’t be free to use but for those who control their installation, you should be able to “roll your own” from the new code if you want to use only pieces of it with a messaging vendor of your choice. Brady is reviewing the code now. Reminders, Recalls, calendar-based messages (eg. auto-send Welcome Packet to new patients or No Show emails) and an embedded SMS Bot are in “General availability” for 6 months now with great success, while Announcements, Clinical Reminders and CAPHS Survey messaging are in alpha-beta stages.

The development code is at:
https://github.com/ophthal/openEMR_2.git in the Reminders_6.27.17-rebase-6 branch.

The official openEMR demo running off this branch is at:
https://two.openemr.io/openemr
This demo resets daily so if someone earlier in the day has set-up a demo account, you can just login with “admin:pass” to play around with the output. Otherwise PM me for credentials. There is no demo patient data - you’ll have to add that but should you choose to send yourself messages, when done testing, be sure to delete any “real” contact data …

Hi @growlingflea - thanks for that info! I did check out Clickatell and it’s only messaging. I’m looking for a service that allows for faxing and voice call reminders too.

Hi @rmagauran - thanks for this info!! I’m super excited to take a look at the code, which I will do in a sec.

Sounds like there’s some great features in there and I’m looking forward to ‘borrowing’ code. :slight_smile: The main reason I’m interested in Clicksend is because it also provides other services, such as faxing and voice call reminders. :slight_smile:

To add to @rmagauran awesome’s feature, it will likely get into the official codebase over the next couple days :slight_smile:

The PR that includes Ray’s code along with some OpenEMR integration work can be found here:

For testing it out, I’d rec using Ray’s links above though (the link I posted here just includes Ray’s most recent code with minor integration work by myself)

(at this point just need to rebring in a couple prior features that were recently added to the Messages gui, and then it should be good to go into the main codebase)
-brady

@rmagauran ,
Although it may be a bit too late, I now have a mechanism to include the standard demo data in development up for grabs demos. Just let me know if you want this in your demo, and I’ll add it.
-brady

Hi Susan, this new service does voice reminders too…

Since faxes often contain HIPAA data you might want look to look at using Hylafax locally.

Ray

btw,

As of 5 minutes ago, MedEx is now in the official 5.0.1 development codebase :smile:

Thank you @rmagauran !!

Note this includes a super cool KIOSK mode for the Patient Flow Board !

-brady

How to use the kiosk mode Brady??? just eager to know

Hi @arnabnaha ,

In the Patient Flow Board, there is a ‘Kiosk’ button (it is to the right of the Print button).

-brady

@brady.miller…I noted that…after pressing it…it shows the patient flow board in a smaller way…but how to configure and show it on a kiosk??

hi @arnabnaha ,

Doesn’t it take up entire screen when click it:

So could basically direct this to a large screen for viewing purposes without any input.

-brady

@brady.miller . … It only shows within the openemr

Sounds like first MedEx bug report @rmagauran :smile:

Note on the Development demo (with firefox client on linux), it is working:
https://www.open-emr.org/wiki/index.php/Development_Demo#Main_Demo_.28Ubuntu_16.04.29

Rec. trying out the demo to see if it is your browser (maybe a security setting or a windows thing).

-brady

Just as an FYI, I tried it a few days ago via Firefox on Mac and it worked for me.

@brady.miller - Few more bugs then -

  1. when I click on Messages - there are two new buttons called New Recall and recall Board. Clicking onthem nothing happens.

  2. There is a small menu like top bar in messages having options like FILE, MESSAGES, PATIENT REMINDER and RECALL. Clicking on File and Setup MedEx shows a SIGNUP button. Nothing happens if I click on that

Hi @arnabnaha,

I see the issues - it is a tabs vs frame issue. I’ll push a fix for the frames version.

The Kiosk mode was an afterthought - it is meant for a second display or a separate workstation that is “patient facing”. It fills the screen with the flow board, with medical information redacted (HIPAA). The data displayed can be tweaked on a use case basis by diving into the code.

For example, in an OR suite, behind the scenes in a non-public area, you might want to show “Reason for encounter” and “Patient Name”, not just initials. Currently the Kiosk has “redacted” information because I presume it maybe visible to a patient. I pop it up on my screen when I move exam rooms and click on the line corresponding to the room number when I enter a new room, to access the current patient record. I’m sure there will plenty of ways to tweak it. Depending on how it is used by others it may make sense to offer some of these less HIPAA compliant display options down the road as Global options? Time will tell…

Ray

doh!
I can’t believe I didn’t test frames out on my reviews; a bit embarrassing on my part.
@rmagauran, thanks for planning to push out this fix.
-brady

hi @rmagauran ,
Just so you don’t need to spend to much time digging. Can use top.tab_mode javascript variable to assess if user is using tabs mode. Suggest searching in codebase for this variable for practical examples. And will also need menu link in left_nav for the Recall Board.
thanks,
-brady