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🧠 Tails Intake Agent Settings: Complete Configuration Guide

Help Automate Your Patient Intake Process

Updated over a week ago

The Tails Intake Agent helps automate your clinic's patient intake process by using AI to collect and organize information before appointments. This guide walks you through configuring intake rules and settings for different visit types.

πŸ“– What You'll Learn

  • How to access Tails Intake Agent settings

  • Setting up clinic-wide general rules

  • Configuring visit type-specific intake rules

  • Using the preview feature to test your settings

  • Managing and organizing your intake rules

πŸ“ŒImportant: The Tails Intake Agent feature must be enabled for your clinic before you can access these settings. Contact your Digitail administrator if you don't see this option.


πŸ“ Accessing Tails Intake Agent Settings

  1. Navigate to the Profile Image (top right corner) β†’ Administration β†’ Tails Agents Settings

  2. From the Agents Landing Page, click on the Tails Intake Agent card


πŸ” Understanding the Tails Intake Settings Interface

The Tails Intake Settings page is divided into two main sections:

1. Clinic General Rules Section

  • Global rules that apply to all visit types

  • General intake instructions for the AI agent

2. Visit Type Configuration Area

  • Left Column: Visit Type Selector and rule organization

  • Right Column: Intake Rules Manager for selected visit types


βš–οΈ Setting Up Clinic General Rules

  1. In the Clinic General Rules Editor section, click in the text area

  2. Enter your general intake instructions such as:

    • "Collect Pet Parent contact information and emergency contact"

    • "Ask about Patient's vaccination history and current flea/tick prevention"

    • "Confirm Pet Parent understands our payment policies and accepts estimates"

  3. Click Save to apply your changes

πŸ’œPro Tip: Keep general rules broad and applicable to all visit types. Specific instructions should be added to individual visit type rules instead.


βš™οΈ Configuring Visit Type-Specific Rules

Selecting Visit Types

  1. In the left column, use the Visit Type Selector dropdown

  2. Select one or multiple visit types you want to configure

  3. The right column will update to show rules for your selected visit types

Viewing Existing Rules by Groups

The system organizes your intake rules into groups based on which visit types share the same rules:

  1. Review the grouped rules displayed below the visit type selector

  2. Click on any group to quickly select all visit types in that group

  3. Different colored badges indicate various rule statuses


πŸ”„ Managing Intake Rules for Selected Visit Types

Creating New Rules

  1. With your visit types selected, the rules editor will appear on the right

  2. Enter your specific intake instructions in the text area, such as:

    • Wellness Exams: "Ask about appetite, energy level, bowel movements, and any behavioral changes"

    • Surgery Appointments: "Confirm Patient has been fasting since last night and ask about last water intake"

    • Emergency Visits: "Get detailed description of symptoms, when they started, and current severity level"

    • Dental Procedures: "Ask about dental history, bad breath, difficulty eating, and last dental cleaning"

  3. Click Save Rules to apply changes

Editing Existing Rules

  1. Select the visit types with existing rules

  2. Modify the rules in the text editor

  3. Click Save Rules to update

Deleting Rules

  1. Select the visit types whose rules you want to remove

  2. Click the Delete Rules button (trash icon)

  3. Confirm the deletion when prompted


πŸ” Using the Preview Feature

The Preview feature lets you test how your intake rules will work before going live.

  1. Select your visit types and ensure rules are configured

  2. Click the Show Preview button

  3. Review the preview in the modal that opens

  4. Test different scenarios to ensure your rules work as intended


⚠️ Managing Unsaved Changes

If you try to switch visit types with unsaved changes, you'll see a confirmation modal with options:

  • Save and Change – Saves changes, then switches visit types

  • Discard and Change – Abandons changes and switches

  • Cancel – Stays on the current selection


πŸ”„ Clearing Visit Type Selection

  1. Click the Return button located above the Visit Types

  2. Confirm if prompted due to unsaved changes

  3. The rules editor will return to its default state


πŸ“… Best Practices for Intake Rules

🟑 Important Considerations:

  • Be specific but concise - clear instructions help the AI provide better assistance

  • Test your rules using the preview feature before going live

  • Group similar visit types to reduce duplication

  • Review and update rules based on feedback

πŸŽ“ Effective Rule Writing Tips

  1. Use clear, actionable language

    • βœ… "Ask Pet Parent to list all current medications, dosages, and frequency"

    • ❌ "Get medication info"

    • βœ… "Confirm Patient's last meal time and ask if they've had any water since midnight"

    • ❌ "Check fasting status"

  2. Be specific about timing/context

    • βœ… "Ask when symptoms started and if they’re getting better or worse"

    • ❌ "Ask about symptoms"

    • βœ… "For puppies under 6 months: Ask about vaccination schedule and worming history"

    • ❌ "Check vaccine status"

  3. Prioritize critical information per visit type

    • Emergency visits: Start with chief complaint, duration, and severity

    • Surgery prep: Focus on fasting compliance and current health status

    • Wellness exams: Cover routine health indicators and preventive care

    • Follow-ups: Ask about progress since last visit and medication compliance

  4. Think workflow

    • Write rules that create the information your veterinarians need

    • Think about what saves time during the appointment

    • Include questions that help with treatment planning


🚧 Troubleshooting Common Issues

Rules Not Saving

  • Check your internet connection

  • Ensure you have proper permissions to modify intake settings

  • Try refreshing the page and attempting to save again

Visit Types Not Loading

Preview Not Working

  • Ensure you have rules configured for the selected visit types

  • Check that browser popup settings don't block theΒ preview modal


πŸ”— Related Articles


πŸ“ƒ Quick Reference Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure your Tails Intake Agent is properly configured:

Clinic General Rules are set up with foundational instructions

βœ… Visit type-specific rules are configured for each appointment type

βœ… Rules have been tested using the preview feature

βœ… Staff have been trained on how the intake information will be presented

βœ… Rules are regularly reviewed and updated based on clinic needs

πŸ“ŒNeed Help? If you encounter issues with Tails Intake Agent settings, contact Digitail support with specific details about your configuration and any error messages you're seeing.

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