FAQ: Token Lifecycle
Common questions about issuing, serving, and completing patient tokens.
What should I do if a patient loses their token?
If a patient loses or misplaces their token before being served, they can approach the front desk and ask for their token number to be announced or re-printed. Verify their identity, look them up in the queue list, and re-print the ticket or tell them their current position. Do not issue a new token—that would place them at the end of the queue again.
Can I skip a patient in the queue if they are running late for their appointment?
You should not skip patients without a good reason. However, if a facility chooses to accommodate late arrivals, you can manually skip the patient's token (if the system provides that option) and call them after other patients, or you can cancel their token and issue a new one. Follow your facility's policy on late arrivals.
What does "No-show" mean?
A no-show status indicates that a patient was issued a token or had an appointment scheduled, but did not appear when called. Mark a token as no-show if the patient does not respond after you call them multiple times. This helps your facility track attendance and may affect the patient's appointment history.
If a patient is transferred to another department, what happens to their token?
This depends on your facility's process:
- Some facilities transfer the token to the new queue (the same token number works in both queues)
- Other facilities cancel the original token and issue a new one in the new queue
Check your facility's standard operating procedure or ask your manager which approach to follow.
Can I print a token ticket multiple times?
Yes. You can print the same token as many times as needed. If a patient loses the printed ticket, print another one. The system does not prevent reprinting.
What if the printer is broken or out of paper when I try to print a ticket?
If the printer is unavailable, you can still issue and serve the patient without printing. Simply tell the patient their token number verbally or write it on a piece of paper. The token still exists in the system, and you can print it later if the printer is fixed. There is no requirement to print every token.
How do I know which patient is next if I am not using printed tickets?
View the queue display or queue list on your screen. The system shows tokens in order and indicates which one is next to be called. Some facilities display this on a large screen in the waiting area so patients can see when their turn is coming.
Can I cancel a token if a patient leaves the queue?
Yes. If a patient leaves before being served, mark the token as Complete, Cancelled, or Left (depending on your system's options) so it is no longer part of the active queue. Do not leave cancelled tokens in an incomplete state as this can confuse the queue order.
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