Every clinic has patients waiting for something — a new provider, a specialist consult, a spot that opens when someone cancels. Healthquest’s waitlist feature keeps that list organized and puts it right where your staff are already working: the appointment scheduler.
What a Waitlist Can Track
Waitlists aren’t limited to one use case. Clinics commonly build them for:
- Patients waiting for a new provider
- Referred patients waiting for an initial consult
- A general cancellation list
- Patients waiting on group appointments or a specific appointment type
You can build as many waitlists as you need, each one tracking whatever combination of patients makes sense for your workflow.
Using a Waitlist on the Schedule
Open the appointment scheduler, and your waitlist can be displayed alongside it, filtered to show everyone or just one specific list — for example, a list of patients waiting for a PFT with a particular provider.
When new openings appear on that provider’s schedule, simply drag and drop a patient from the waitlist directly onto the open slot. Once they’re booked, they come off the waitlist automatically.
Setting Up a New Waitlist
To create or edit a waitlist, go to Setup > Waiting List Setup. From here you can generate a new list or adjust an existing one, including which columns display when the list is open in the scheduler.
A few fields worth paying attention to:
- Date added – this tracks how long a patient has been waiting, so you can prioritize whoever’s been on the list longest.
- Provider and appointment type – lets you filter exactly the patients relevant to a specific opening.
- Contact information – so staff can call a patient directly if they’d rather book over the phone than wait for the drag-and-drop.
Let the System Finish the Job
Once a patient is booked from the waitlist, you don’t have to do anything else — if that appointment type has an automated reminder rule attached, Healthquest sends it out for you. One drag-and-drop action fills the opening and takes care of follow-up communication in the same step.
FAQ
How many waitlists can a clinic have in Healthquest?
As many as you need. Clinics commonly build separate lists for new-provider requests, referral consults, cancellations, and specific appointment types.
How do I book a patient off the waitlist?
Open the appointment scheduler with the waitlist displayed, then drag and drop the patient directly onto an open slot.
Does booking from the waitlist trigger a reminder automatically?
Yes, if that appointment type has an automated reminder rule set up and is then placed on the schedule — Healthquest sends it without any extra steps.
Patients will NOT receive a reminder while on the waitlist alone.
Where do I create or edit a waitlist?
Go to Setup > Waiting List Setup to add a new list or adjust the columns and details shown on an existing one.
That wraps up our Scheduling Essentials series!
Want to see it in action? Check out our webinar recording where we cover a live demo of our advanced basics.