Optimize Your Tops Check-In Settings

TopsCheck-In settings provide you a ton of options. Here's how to change the message that displays on the check-in iPad, edit patient name format, and more!

1. Go to Tops Ortho > Practice Settings.
2. Type your password and click OK.
3. Go to topsCheck-in.
4. In the Welcome Screen tab, you can:
   • Customize your greeting.
   • Provide instructions.
   • Choose how patients' names display:
     • To display patients' first and last name, check the box for Show Full Patient Names.  See the bottom part of this article regarding HIPAA compliance.
     • To display patients' names with only the first three letters of their first and last names, uncheck the box for Show Full Patient Names. 

In the Message tab, you can:

• Set when you want pending appointments to display on the iPad, such as how many minutes before/after the appointment start time.
• Select your display language.
• Edit your greeting.
• Include messages for patient that are early or late for their appointments.
• The See Receptionist message displays when a patient checks in for an appointment that is marked as Requires Staff Attention in Tops Ortho > Practice Setup > Calendar > Appointment Types.

In the Excluded Patients tab, you can:

• Add patients that you do not want to display in the check-in iPad.
• This section is intended for charts that are not for actual real patients, such as, demo patients, lunch, and meetings.
• If you have real patients within this list, they do not display in Patient Flow and will show as missing their appointment.

In the iPads tab, you can:

• Pair new iPads for check-in.
• Show iPad password.
• Change iPad password. 

Click below for the TopsCheckin Manual

TopsCheckin Manual

HIPAA Compliance: Displaying Patient Names in the Waiting Room

A common question is whether displaying a patient's full name in a waiting room for orthodontic treatment complies with HIPAA. The answer is yes, provided the information displayed is appropriately limited.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule recognizes that certain incidental disclosures may occur during the normal course of providing healthcare services. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), covered entities may:

• Use patient sign-in sheets.
• Call patients by name in the waiting room.
• Display patient names when necessary for office operations.

These practices are permitted as long as any information disclosed is limited to what is necessary. For example, it is acceptable if other patients hear a patient's name being called or see patient names on a sign-in sheet.

However, sign-in sheets and waiting room displays must not include unnecessary protected health information (PHI), such as the patient's medical condition, diagnosis, or the reason for the visit.

Example:

✔ Acceptable: Patient name only.

❌ Not Acceptable:  Patient name displayed with "Adjustment Appointment," "Broken Bracket," or any other treatment or medical information.

For additional information, see the HIPAA Privacy Rule at 45 CFR  45 CFR § 164.502(a)(1)(iii).