Schedule a Group Session and Track Attendance

In addition to one-on-one sessions, Healthie's Calendar enables you to schedule group appointments that can host more than one client / additional provider at a time. This is useful if you'd like to conduct a webinar, have a physical group class, hold a group class, and host multiple participants at once. 

Like with all Healthie sessions, you are able to set a location for the session to be in-person or virtual, enable/disable clients to book, and automate e-mail and SMS appointment confirmations and reminders. You can also set a maximum number of clients as part of creating a Group Session. Additionally, Healthie connects your group appointment with charting, by offering the option to create a group charting note.

Unlike 1:1 appointments, general availability set on the calendar does not allow for a client to self-book a group session. The group appointment must be directly added to the calendar by the provider, for the client to enroll in. 

This article covers how providers can create group sessions to manually enroll clients, or have clients self-book. 

Overview of Group Sessions in Healthie

Healthie's group session feature makes it easy to host appointments that include more than one participant, whether that participant is a client or another Healthie provider in your business. You are able to specify a date, time, and location of the session, indicate whether an appointment is held in person, over the phone, or via Video Call. 

You are also able to set a maximum number of participants that can sign up for / attend the session, and indicate whether the session is one-time or recurring. Confirmation and reminder text / e-mails will go out automatically as per the settings you have configured. 

Schedule a group session

There are two parts of scheduling a group session in Healthie.

Part 1: Set up your Group Appointment Type

• Navigate to Calendar > More > Appointment Types > Create New 
• Ensure that you have enabled this Appointment Type as "Group" session. This is distinct from having it related to a Client Group. 
• Enable / disable the ability for clients to be able to book the session
• Run through additional options within your Appointment Type page. Please note that if you'd like your Group Session to be a Webinar, we recommend confirming that only the Video Call option is enabled for this Appointment Type.
• Finalize creation of the Appointment Type

You can update an existing appointment to change the "Group" status at any time. In your appointment types click the actions tab (3 dots) next to the appointment you'd like to revise. A side-drawer panel will appear, and you can make adjustments accordingly. Click "Update Appointment Type" to confirm the changes.

Part 2: Create a Group Session on your Calendar

Now let's add the group appointment to your calendar. 

• Navigate to Calendar > Add Appointment > Group Appointment
• You will be prompted to enter known invitees, set a maximum number of attendees, as well as the date, time, and location of this group session. Make sure you have selected the Appointment Type that you created in Part 1. 
• Click "Create" 
  

Once created, you'll be able to click on the appointment in your calendar and view details. All clients that have been invited to the group session will be visible. Make changes to your session, or invite more clients to the appointment by clicking the "Pencil icon"

Add multiple members of your team to a group session

Healthie's Organization Calendar will allow you to add multiple organization members to a scheduled group session. 

To add other providers to an existing appointment:

• Click the appointment under the Organization tab, a side-drawer panel will appear 
• In the "Organization Member" section, search for another provider by name. Click their name to add them to the invitation. 
• Click "Update" to update the appointment 

Note: to uninvite a client or provider, simply click the "x" next to their name in the "Invitee" section. Click "Update" 

Share a link with clients to sign up for your group session

There are two ways to let clients know that your group session is available for them to book. 

1. Share your calendar link. Your clients will be able to see the session that you created and book with you. 

2. Create a package that includes your group session, then share this package with current and prospective clients.

Tracking attendance for group appointments

For your records, you may want to keep track of those who attended a group session or webinar. To do so within Healthie: 

• Go to your Calendar and click on the group appointment
• Click the "Track Attendance" button 
• Check the boxes for clients who attended > SAVE 

You can edit the appointment and update the attendance at any time by clicking the Edit (pencil icon). Once saved, you'll see the list of "Attended" and "Not Attended" clients on the main session details page. 

Note: if a client cancels a group appointment, they will be removed from the session, but you'll still be able to keep track of canceled clients. They will appear in a section of the session details called "Cancelled" 

Cancel a recurring group session 

To delete a single-time or recurring group session, simply click the appointment on the calendar. Then click the "Trash" icon on the top-right. For recurring appointments, you'll be prompted to confirm if you'd like to:

• Delete this session only 
• Delete all sessions 

Choose your option and then click the red "Delete Session" button. To abandon deleting the session, simply click "Cancel"

Quick troubleshooting for group sessions

2. Check your calendar settings for "Maximum days in advance" and Contact types

If clients aren't seeing your group session on the calendar, it's possible that they are prevented from booking sessions too far in advance (which includes group sessions). Review your calendar settings (Gear icon > Settings > Appointments). You may want to adjust "Maximum days in advance" to "No Maximum." 

Also, under the Appointment Settings tab, make sure under the Contact Types section, "Healthie Video Call" is enabled. This will allow you to create a Zoom meeting:

3. Check if the group appointment is bookable

Another reason why a client cannot book for the group session is that the Appointment type is not bookable. Review your appointment types (Calendar > More > Appointment Types) and adjust that the group appointment is bookable. 

4.  Zoom option is not appearing for a group session

The Zoom feature is available on the Practice Plus subscription. Please email hello@gethealthie.com for more questions.