---
title: Off the Hook! Three Configuration Options for Telephone Communication
description: OSIS reveals our most requested configuration changes to the NextGen Telephone Communication Template with easy step-by-step guide to these configurations.
image: https://www.osisonline.net/hubfs/the-right-fit-makes-all-the-difference-osis-members.png
---

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Did You Know? The Telephone Communication template offers significant improvements over the previous Telephone Call template, including integration with the Medication Module.  But with long picklists and required fields, some health centers have been hesitant to make the transition. However, the Telephone Communication template has configuration options, accessed within the Template Editor application.  These are *not customizations*, but a menu of configuration options called *Component Settings*, built specifically for this template. 

**OSIS ****Three Most Requested Configuration Changes to the Telephone Communication Template**

1. Updating the *Concern* tab in the **Medical Question**** Call Type** so it is easier to complete, and required fields are removed. 
2. Updating the *Requested Referral* tab in the **Referral Request**** Call Type** so it is easier to complete, and not reliant on the Provider Master File in File Maintenance. 
3. Cleaning up the *Contact Type* and *Spoke With* lists within the **Call Information** tabs of all Call Types, so the options are more relevant and less numerous. 

With these requests, OSIS has created easy-to-follow steps to make the three changes listed above.  

From within *NextGen Template Editor*, open the *telephone_call_comm *template.

![telephone_call_comm template](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/telephone_call_comm%20template.png?width=243&name=telephone_call_comm%20template.png)

Right-click on the *Communication Component* and select *Properties* from the menu that displays.

![Communication Properties](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Communication%20Properties.jpg?width=243&name=Communication%20Properties.jpg)

The *Hosted Component Field Properties* window displays. Click the *Settings* button.

![undefined](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined.jpeg?width=250&name=undefined.jpeg)

The *Settings* popup launches.

![Settings](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Settings.png?width=861&name=Settings.png)

---

Configuration One: Updating the *Concern** Tab* in the *Medical Question Call Type*

Click within the *Call Type* dropdown and select *Medical Question*.

![Settings_Medical Question](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Settings_Medical%20Question.png?width=255&name=Settings_Medical%20Question.png)

 

 

 

 

The panel items for the selected *Call Type* will display click the *Gear* button to modify the menu.

![Settings_Call_type](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Settings_Call_type.png?width=250&name=Settings_Call_type.png)

In the *Edit Panel* window that launches, click on the *Panel* Items tab, and select *Concern *from the Items click the *Remove* button.

![Edit Panel](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Edit%20Panel.jpg?width=250&name=Edit%20Panel.jpg)

Once the panel item has been removed from the list, click the *Add.*

*![Add](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Add.png?width=132&name=Add.png)*

Update the *Display on Click, Name, and Sequence* fields as shown in the screenshot below, then click the *Save* button.  Click the *Close* button when complete.

![Update Panel Properties](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Update%20Panel%20Properties.jpg?width=250&name=Update%20Panel%20Properties.jpg)

In runtime, the user will be given a free-text comments box for medical concern information.

![Runtime Medical Question-png](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Runtime%20Medical%20Question-png.png?width=433&name=Runtime%20Medical%20Question-png.png)

---

Configuration Two: Updating the *Requested Referral* tab in the *Referral Request Call Type *

Click within the *Call Type* dropdown on the* Settings* window and select *Referral Request*.

![Settings Referral Request](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Settings%20Referral%20Request.png?width=250&name=Settings%20Referral%20Request.png)

The panel items for the selected *Call Type* will display Click the *Gear* button to modify the menu.

![Gear - Settings](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Gear%20-%20Settings.jpg?width=250&name=Gear%20-%20Settings.jpg)

In the *Edit Panel* window that launches, click on the *Panel* Items tab and select *Requested Referral *from the *Items* Click the *Remove* button.

![Edit Panel Requested Referral](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Edit%20Panel%20Requested%20Referral.jpg?width=250&name=Edit%20Panel%20Requested%20Referral.jpg)

Once the panel item has been removed, click the *Add.*

*![](https://www.osisonline.net/hubfs/After%20Panel%20Removed%20-%20Add%20Button-png.png)*

Update the* Display On Click, Name, and Sequence* fields as shown in the screenshot below, then click the *Save Click* the *Close* button.

![Edit Panel Sequence Fields](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Edit%20Panel%20Sequence%20Fields.png?width=250&name=Edit%20Panel%20Sequence%20Fields.png)

In runtime, the user will be given a free-text comments box for referral request information.

![In Runtime - Referral Request](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/In%20Runtime%20-%20Referral%20Request.png?width=394&name=In%20Runtime%20-%20Referral%20Request.png)

---

Configuration Three: Cleaning up the *Contact Type* and *Spoke With* lists within the *Call Information* tabs of all Call Types

Select the Call Information Panel Item from the vertical menu on the left, then use the Gear buttons to modify the Contact Type and Spoke With menus. 

![Settings Call Information](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Settings%20Call%20Information.png?width=450&name=Settings%20Call%20Information.png)

Navigate to the* Panel Items* tab to select each picklist item from the* Items* list and modify the *Name* and *Sequence* fields.

![Panel Items Incoming Call](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Panel%20Items%20Incoming%20Call.png?width=300&name=Panel%20Items%20Incoming%20Call.png)

The below screenshot shows an example of how the *Contact Type *and *Spoke With *lists can be modified to increase ease of use.

1. 1. Note the addition of “Walk-In” and “Internal ” In the *Contact Type *list.
     2. Note how gender-specific options in the *Spoke With *list (“Brother;” “Sister”) have been replaced with a single, gender-neutral option (“Sibling”) to reduce scrolling.
     3. Lastly, note the addition of “N/A – Incoming Fax” and “N/A – Internal”
     4. Consider “N/A – Left Message” as another option, if desired.

![Settings - Contact Type_Spoke With](https://www.osisonline.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Settings%20-%20Contact%20Type_Spoke%20With.png?width=422&name=Settings%20-%20Contact%20Type_Spoke%20With.png)

 

With these relatively simple improvements, many health centers can increase the ease of use for their existing Telephone Communication workflow. For those health centers that have not yet implemented the newer Telephone Communication template, these changes may be enough to finally help you take the plunge and transition over, increasing functionality and integration for your practice! To learn more about the Telephone Communication template, watch this session in the [OSIS Webinar Series: Using the Telephone Communication Template](https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/3465675/656D505FE0504FFD2E87160F8512E30F).

 

 

 

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