• Why does HouseCalls say 'Multiple calls restricted'? Multiple calls restricted means there was another appointment in the schedule with the same phone number. By default, HouseCalls is configured to not allow multiple calls to any single phone number during a calling session.

• Why do I see the error message 'HouseCalls is open in another session'? For some reason two or more HouseCalls sessions are active at the same time. Reboot the computer and open HouseCalls again.

• I did not receive my HouseCalls report last night. How can I correct this? This can be caused by several different conditions:
  • A power failure occurred before the call session finished. If this is the case, then you may want to consider connecting the HouseCalls PC to a battery backup device. Inexpensive battery backup devices are available from most office, electronic, or computer supply vendors.
  • Inadvertently closing the Schedule Manager. If the Schedule Manager is not open, then:
  • From HouseCalls select Schedule List
  • Right click on the top schedule listed
  • Select Print Reports.
  • The printer may be off-line or may need attention. If HouseCalls is running in Wizard view and the Schedule Manager is open, then reports should print within five (5) minutes: Otherwise ensure:
  • There is paper in the printer
  • The printer is turned on and not in standby mode or does not need attention.

• HouseCalls says 'dial tone not detected'. What needs to be done to correct this?
  1. Ensure all phone lines are plugged in correctly. Connect a phone into the outbound phone line jack and ensure a dial tone is present (you can use the phone provided with HouseCalls.) If a dial tone is not present, then call your PBX provider or local phone company for assistance.
  2. Restart your computer
  3. Re-index HouseCalls.

• Is there a user's manual for HouseCalls? Yes a user's manual, in Adobe Acrobat© format (HOUSECALLS.PDF) or MS Word© format (HOUSECALLS.DOC), can be viewed or printed from the 'Manual and Help' folder on the HouseCalls CD. If you need an Adobe Reader©, version 5.0 can be installed from the 'Adobe' folder on the CD. For the latest free version of Adobe Reader© go to http://www.adobe.com.

• The Call Report shows too many Answering Machine listings. How can I be sure the report is accurate? HouseCalls typically listens for a brief period of noise versus a brief period of silence. It expects a person to say something like "Hello" and an answering machine to say something like "Hello this is ... we're not in right now ...". Excessive background noise such as traffic, television, loud conversation, etc. can sometimes be confused with an answering machine in which case, HouseCalls will play the message twice without offering response options. Please contact the TeleVox Support Team if Call Reports consistently show a disproportionate number of answering machine listings.

• Can HouseCalls send email appointment reminders? Yes, HouseCalls can send email appointment reminders to clients, patients, or customers. Unless your company or practice is already using an email server, freeware email server software will need to be installed on your equipment. Please note that results obtained via freeware email server software vary widely as the freeware email server sends email via an anonymous sender format. This format is typically rejected by many Internet Service Provider (ISP) email Spam filters. The preferred method of reaching clients, patients, or customers with appointment reminders is with phone calls.

• A patient, client, or customer says they never want to be called from HouseCalls. Is there a way to permanently block someone from being called?
  1. Yes patients, clients, or customers can be permanently blocked from being called by performing the following steps:
  2. Open the Calling List and locate the patient, client, or customer name.
  3. Right click on the name itself and select, 'Change Calling Parameters'.
  4. Select the 'Never Call Status' check box.
  5. After insuring the box is checked, click 'Save'.

• When creating the data file you receive an error message asking if you want to overwrite the existing file. How is this corrected? Most often these messages have to do with the file being saved to the wrong location, with an incorrect filename, or with an incorrect file type. Verify the location, file name, and file type are correct.

• HouseCalls is showing today's date, but the Calling Page for tomorrow is blank. How can I correct this? The most probable cause for this is that HouseCalls was minimized when the file was created and therefore did not import the datafile. Exit HouseCalls, then reopen it and restart the dally routine. Ensure the file is being saved to the correct folder location, with the correct file name and file type and that the correct date for the data file.

• The following error message is displayed: 'There are no appointments that meet this criteria', how do I correct this? This error may occur when a list is built without relevant information or when the HouseCalls screen display is minimized when creating a file. Exit HouseCalls then reopen and double-check the list for the correct date. Ensure the patients listed have not been called. Click the Schedule List button to the left, look through the built schedules and Ensure that day has not been scheduled. Rebuild the list once this is done. If the error message still remains close HouseCalls and restart the daily routine. Make sure the file is saved to the correct folder location and with the correct file name and file type. IF the problem persists then contact the TeleVox Support Team.

• The following error message is displayed: 'The following calls were not made due to missing recordings', how can I correct this? If new names were not recorded when the list was built last then record the missing names. Other causes of this message are usually associated with adding new doctors or locations to the PMS without recording new HouseCalls elements. Record any missing elements.

• The following error message is displayed: Error 1426, how can I correct this?
  1. The error message can be corrected by performing the following steps:
  2. From the Windows Start menu click on Run
  3. In the Open field type 'regsvr32 hcvoxlib.dll'
  4. Click OK
  5. Then from Windows select Start, Programs, TeleVox Software, HouseCalls, HouseCalls Version 7.5
  6. Select Re-index.

• How do I search for a certain person in HouseCalls? Perform the following steps from HouseCalls:
  1. From the user menu click on Maintenance.
  2. Select 'Add, Modify, Delete Records'
  3. Click on Patients.
  4. When the next window pops up, click on Locate.
  5. Type in the person name in the Find field.

• What do I need to do if I want to rerecord messages in a new voice? Message elements are located in the Voice Manager. To add a new voice:
  1. Click the "Edit Voices" button and type a new name in a blank field. NEVER CHECK THE BOX FOR, "MAINTAIN A LIBRARY OF NAMES FOR EACH VOICE."
  2. Click Save and Exit.
     1. To copy the scripts of the messages to the new voice:
     2. Click Copy Scripts and select the appropriate voices.
     3. Select the new name under Current Voice in the Voice Manager.
     4. Select Greetings and click on Edit Selection.
     5. Highlight each line of text and click Record to record the element.
     6. When you are finished with the greetings, go to Subjects and follow the same instructions. You will need to record everything with the new voice.
     7. Once all of the recordings are done, go to the Message Builder and select the new voice for each message.

• Can I print a copy of all of my messages? Yes, message scripts can be printed by selecting Reports, System Details, and choosing Current Messages.

• The message plays but response options aren't given, how can I correct this? Is the status of Answering Machine associated with this call on the Calling List? If so, then when the phone was answered there may have been too much background noise (such as traffic, television, loud conversation, etc.) for HouseCalls to make a live voice determination. Consequently, HouseCalls interpreted this as an answering machine and switched to the answering machine message -- which does not give response options. Please contact the TeleVox Support Team if Call Reports show a disproportionate number of Answering Machine listings.

• HouseCalls is calling canceled and/or rescheduled appointments, how can I correct this? One of two things is happening:
  1. Either a date range of appointments was exported out of the scheduling software Patient Management System (PMS.) As a result there already will be patients on future Calling Pages in HouseCalls.
  2. Or, canceled or rescheduled appointments are being exported out of the scheduling software.
  In either case HouseCalls is only doing what it is being directed to do. To correct the underlying problem, ensure the Calling List was not already imported before all appointments are canceled in the PMS. That is, wait until all cancellations have been entered into the PMS before importing the file into HouseCalls. Otherwise the PMS may be keeping invalid appointment information. If so, contact the PMS vendor for a resolution.

• Patients, customers or clients are complaining that HouseCalls is playing the message twice. Should I change this setting? HouseCalls plays the message twice when detecting that it is communicating with an answering machine or service. Because some answering services or machines have several pauses before the point of leaving a message is reached, playing the message twice is the HouseCalls default setting. HouseCalls repeats the message a second time to ensure your entire message is given. TeleVox recommends leaving this setting at 2 (two.)

• HouseCalls is printing duplicate reports, how can I correct this? Usually both Print Schedule and Auto-print are setup and enabled when this occurs. You should deactivate either Print Schedule or Auto-print to get just one printed schedule.

• HouseCalls is telling patients, clients, or customers the wrong appointment time, how do I correct that? Look at the appointment time listed in the Patient Management System (PMS.) Are appointments being scheduled 15 minutes early? If not, please contact the TeleVox Technical Call Center for assistance.

• Patients are saying they get a call, but the message never plays, what do I do to correct this? Typically when this occurs, HouseCalls has interpreted that an answering machine or service is on the other end of the line and the Answering Machine option has not been configured correctly. Additionally if HouseCalls incorrectly determined an answering machine then too much background noise (such as traffic, television, loud conversation, etc.) may have contributed to the problem. Either way, contact the TeleVox Technical Support Team for assistance.

• Why does it say 'Waiting on next scheduled call' when my schedule is already built? For HouseCalls to be in this state of operation is normal. That is, the message indicates the calling schedule has been built and the system is waiting for the designated 'Start Time' to begin calling patients, customers, or clients.

• My schedule won't import properly and patients, clients, or customers do not display in HouseCalls. What's going on and how can I correct this? Has the PMS or client contact software been updated recently? If so, this may have changed the structure of the data file generated for HouseCalls. That is, HouseCalls is looking for the data file to be in a specific format. Compare the new file with another recently created file. If the current file from the PMS doesn't look the same as the last one created, then HouseCalls most likely won't be able to read it. A member of the TeleVox Support Team will need to modify the existing software bridge to accommodate the new file format.

• What does the 'Special Message' do? The special message allows a unique message to be recorded for a specific patient. Subsequently it will be appended to the end of the assigned message.

• A message saying not enough time given is displayed, what happened? There may be several causes for this message. Please verify the following:
  1. Ensure the schedule did have enough time to complete all calls
  2. Are all messages the same?
  3. Are all elements recorded for each message?
  4. Was the Schedule Manager open? If so, is the Line Monitor Responding?
  5. Contact the TeleVox Support Team for further assistance if everything appears to be OK,

• HouseCalls did not run last night, how can this be corrected? Please ensure the following:
  1. Then Schedule Manager is open in either Wizard or Classic view.
  2. The HouseCalls calling session is left open.
  3. The HouseCalls computer is on and that power outages did not occur.
  4. The computer did not reboot for Windows update and/or other reasons before the calling session completed.

• How do I move a calling page to a different date? Perform the following steps:
  1. Highlight the entire calling page.
  2. Right-click and then choose Move Items to Another Date.
  3. Select the day you would like the calling page to move to.

• How do I set up multiple calling schedules? Using Wizard view complete the following steps:
  Creating the Appointment File for HouseCalls:
  1. 1. Open your scheduling software.
  2. 2. Create your appointment file and enter the desired dates for both days of appointments.
  3. 3. If your scheduling software only allows you to create a file for one day's appointments, follow steps 4-7, otherwise skip to step 8.
  4. 4. Create the file for the first day's appointments (Monday, i.e.)
  5. 5. Open HouseCalls to import the appointment file.
  6. 6. Close HouseCalls and go back to your scheduling software.
  7. 7. Now create the file for the second day's appointments (Tuesday).
  8. 8. Close the scheduling software.
  9. 9. This should take you back to the Windows desktop.
  10. 10. Open HouseCalls to import the appointment file.
  11. 11. Click the "Build List" button to build the calling session for the first appointment day. In step one of building the list you should choose the date of the first appointment day (Monday, i.e.).
  12. 12. Continue through the steps and choose the date and time you want the first appointment day (Monday's appointments) to be called. Be sure to click the update button if you change time or date on this screen.
  13. 13. When you have finished building the first calling session, click the "Calling Page" button.
  14. 14. Now click the "Build List" button again. In step one choose the date of the second day of appointments (Tuesday) you would like to build.
  15. 15. Continue through the steps and choose the time and day you would like the second calling session to call. Again, be sure to click the update button before clicking finish.
  16. 16. Open the schedule manager.

• How to I clear or delete an entire calling page? Complete the following steps:
  1. From the user menu choose Maintenance
  2. Select Database Utilities.
  3. Then click on Clear Calling Page for a Single Day.
  4. Select the day you would like cleared.

• What do I need to do if I want to move HouseCalls to a new computer? Contact the TeleVox Support Team for assistance.
• How do I change the message that is going out? Complete the following steps:
  1. Right click on the patient that you need to change,
  2. Choose the first option to change the message,
  3. Select the message you want to change,
  4. Click Change.

• How do I delete an individual patient, customer or contact record from the Calling Schedule? Complete the following steps:
  1. Before the Calling Page is built, highlight the individual patient, customer, or contact record you wish to remove
  2. Either select the Delete button located on the upper portion of the HouseCalls interface or press the delete key on your keyboard.

• I can't seem to record names, how can I correct this? This could possibly be caused by a communications problem. Please verify the following:
  1. Ensure the phone is plugged into the proper voice board port in the back of the computer.
  2. Ensure that the person recording is logged into the system as a Local Administrator.
  3. Verify the computer is still recognizing the hardware.
  4. If there are error messages associated with this problem, please log them and contact the TeleVox Technical Call Center for assistance.

• Why didn't calls go out overnight or during the weekend? Check to see if Windows performed an automatic update with a system reboot:
  1. Open the Windows Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer
  2. Choose System
  3. Sort on the Event column by clicking on the Event heading.
  4. Scroll through the list for events 6009 and 6005 corresponding to the time period of the calling lapse.
  5. If events 6009 and 6005 are listed, then you can either turn off Automatic Windows Updates or select a time for Automatic Windows Updates that does not conflict with calling schedules. Automatic Windows Update options can be changed by opening Internet Explorer, selecting Tools, Windows Update then follow the directions listed.
  6. Otherwise, the power to the HouseCalls PC may have cycled. If this is the case, then you may want to consider connecting the HouseCalls PC to a battery backup device. Inexpensive battery backup devices are available from most office, electronic, and computer supply vendors.

• Why does the HouseCalls user have to be an Administrator? The HouseCalls software requires direct Local Administrator access.

• Why are our email reminders rejected? In most instances, rejected email messages are blocked by the patient's email provider. This happens because the email client is unable to verify the email sender. Usually this is resolved by having patients choose to allow email from your sending email address.

Posted on Wednesday, December 13th, 2006 at 1:01 pm and is filed under Support Q&A, HouseCalls.