ReminderPro 2008 can integrate to virtually any contact management, practice management, or scheduling software via a custom import, or "bridge".
By printing your reports to a file (rather than to your printer), your software provides the information ReminderPro needs to work. Once the "bridge" is set up, any number of calls can be scheduled in minutes. ReminderPro merges appointment data, or other information, with message elements recorded in your voice to create smooth, natural, and personable messages.
A Custom Data Import program is included with ReminderPro and is custom-tailored to your needs based on the reports your software can generate. For example, ReminderPro can automatically schedule appointment reminder calls using your daily appointment report, or recall reminders based on a recall report. ReminderPro does not "go into" your software to retrieve information so there is no risk to your valuable data.
Here are examples of the criteria we can include in a Custom Data Import:
- Provider/Employee
- Recall Date
- Age
- Ethnicity/Language
- Gender
- Language
- Procedure
- Birth Date
- Location/Precinct
ReminderPro can also interface directly with your system using Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) and other direct connection methods:
Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC)
ODBC is an Application Programming Interface (API) method developed by Microsoft to provide access to any data from any application, regardless of the database management system (DBMS) being used. ODBC does this by inserting an additional layer, called a database driver, between the application and the DBMS. The driver becomes a translator for the device and the programs that use the device.
How ODBC Works
Each device has its own sets of specialized commands that only it knows. However, these devices also accept Structured Query Language (SQL), which is a standard language that is used in many DBMS as well as in ODBC. When a request or query to the database is made, the device, using SQL, communicates with the data source through the ODBC driver. The driver then interprets the SQL and translates it into specialized instructions that tell the DBMS to perform the specified task.
For this transfer of information to work, both the application and the DBMS must be ODBC compliant. In other words, the application must issue ODBC commands and the DBMS must respond to them. When an application communicates with a DBMS to access data through its ODBC driver, the driver makes the connection, either locally or across a network, and provides access to the DBMS. Inphonite normally reads information only from an ODBC connection, thereby insuring the integrity of the DBMS. On occasion, our clients ask us to write to their files through ODBC. We do so with the utmost regard for the customer’s data, generally writing to an outboard file that the client can access, rather than writing directly back to the database.
What Does ReminderPro Gain From ODBC?
Seamless automation! ReminderPro’s daily call list is created using data from the user’s DBMS. This data must be provided, generally as an import file, and ReminderPro must be able to retrieve it in order to produce a call list. In many cases the user creates this file manually on a daily basis. With ODBC, ReminderPro can talk directly to the driver, retrieve the information it needs, and create a call list automatically. The user no longer has to create the daily file because the ODBC driver provides all the required information. With an ODBC source, ReminderPro can wake itself up each day, access the ODBC driver, extract the information needed for the call session, and begin calling at its scheduled time. When ReminderPro has finished it simply goes back to sleep until it’s time to wake-up again and start over.
These automation capabilities are standard features on both ReminderPro Select and Enterprise. During initial customer conversations, we can determine the user’s ODBC status, automation needs, and provide the appropriate interface information for their DBMS. We can even use ODBC to generate import information from a prior software version, which often eliminates the need to extract the information from the DBMS itself. The necessary import files are usually send to the customer via email or FTP prior to installation. Once installed, our technical staff simply instructs the user on how to set the appropriate automation features.
Determining ODBC Compatibility
Determining whether a DBMS is ODBC compatible is generally quite simple. In most cases, users can contact the software company to inquire about ODBC and the underlying database the software uses. ODBC may also be an advertised feature of the software. In addition, our technical staff can help users check for an ODBC source or install one if it’s available.