Setup
How to set up knowledge base for imaging center after hou…
How to set up knowledge base for imaging center after hours scheduling — answered from your own docs. How Radiology & Imaging Centers teams use Chatref (knowled
Patients of Radiology & Imaging Centers often need scheduling answers outside business hours. A Chatref knowledge base, built from your own policies and hours, gives them instant, accurate replies 24/7. Upload your documents, test the agent, and embed the widget – no coding required.
Before you start
Gather the content your after-hours scheduling agent needs. This prevents incomplete answers and repeated edits.
- After-hours hours – which modalities (MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound) are available, and when.
- Scheduling steps – how patients book after-hours (portal, phone, walk-in), and any cutoff times.
- Preparation instructions – fasting, contrast, or clothing requirements for each exam type.
- Insurance and payment – which plans you accept for after-hours visits; any separate billing policies.
- Emergency and urgent referrals – your protocol for referring physicians (fax number, required forms, turnaround times).
- Contact and location – the after-hours entrance, parking notes, and a phone number that reaches the on-call team.
A free Chatref account gives you $50 in credit with no credit card required. All features are available on that balance, including unlimited agents and training documents. If you already have an account, sign in at app.chatref.ai.
Step-by-step setup
1. Add your practice content Log in and create an agent (click "New Agent"). Name it something patients will trust, like "After-Hours Scheduling Assistant." Under "Knowledge," add every source that describes your after-hours workflows: upload PDFs of your scheduling policy and patient-prep sheets, paste URLs of your website’s imaging-services pages, or type free-text notes directly into the field. The agent learns all of it so it can answer from your actual operations, never from a web search.
2. Tune the agent’s voice and brand Set a welcome message that sets expectations, for example: "Hi, I’m here 24/7 to answer questions about after-hours imaging – ask me about scheduling, prep, or insurance." Adjust the primary color to match your practice’s logo. The widget will inherit this on your site.
3. Test in the playground Use the built-in playground to send real patient questions before publishing. Try:
- "Can I get a CT scan tonight and what do I need to bring?"
- "Do you take walk-ins for X-rays after 5pm?"
- "I have a referral for an MRI – can you schedule me this evening?"
The agent will ground every answer in the sources you uploaded. If an answer is vague or off-target, return to the knowledge tab and add the missing detail – such as a note about appointment cut-off times or which insurance plans apply after hours.
4. Embed the widget on your site
From the "Sharing" tab, copy the embed code snippet and place it just before the closing </body> tag on your website. The widget will appear on every page, but you can restrict it to certain URLs if you prefer (for example, only your contact or scheduling page). Chatref uses an origin allowlist, so the widget works only on domains you approve.
Check it works
Visit your website after hours (or use a separate browser session) and open the chat. Test the flow a patient would follow:
- Ask about a specific exam time: "I need a pelvic ultrasound after 6pm – is that available?"
- Follow up with prep and insurance: "Do I need a full bladder? Is my Aetna plan accepted?"
- Request a booking: "How do I schedule a late MRI tonight?"
Confirm that each response comes directly from your documents, not from a generic knowledge source. Use the conversation inbox in Chatref to review chats and see when the agent resolved the question on its own. If the agent ever stalls on a question that genuinely needs a human, a staff member can join the same thread from the shared inbox with full conversation history.
Common issues
Agent gives a vague or incorrect answer
The knowledge base is missing the specific detail the patient asked about. Return to the Knowledge tab, find the gap, and add it – for example, a line about a minimum 2-hour fast for abdomen CTs, or that after-hours bookings require a valid referral. The agent pulls from your content, not the internet, so precision depends on what you give it.
Patients ask about insurance plans you don’t list
Upload a clear list of accepted plans for after-hours services. If your billing for after-hours differs from daytime, create a separate note that the agent can surface. A simple PDF scan works just as well as a typed page.
Widget doesn’t appear on the site
Check that the embed snippet is on the live page and that your domain is in the allowed origins list in Agent Settings → Sharing. Clear your browser cache or test in an incognito window.
Chatref cannot schedule or access your EHR
Chatref’s custom-actions feature can collect patient details and trigger a notification to your scheduling system or front desk team, but the initial setup described here focuses on answering policy questions. For connecting to an EHR or booking system, reach out to support after your knowledge base is live.
FAQ
What causes imaging center after hours scheduling problems for Radiology & Imaging Centers?
Missed appointments, overnight voicemail backlogs, and lost referrals often stem from patients not knowing what’s available, what’s required, or how to book when the front desk is closed. Stale website information, inconsistent staff answers, and separate policies per modality compound the confusion – patients will call a competitor rather than wait.
How do I improve imaging center after hours scheduling for Radiology & Imaging Centers?
Centralize all after-hours policies – hours, prep, insurance, and booking steps – into a single source that’s available 24/7. Provide that source to patients on your website (or in response to common questions) so they get an accurate answer instantly. This reduces phone overload, cuts morning triage work, and captures referrals that would otherwise go elsewhere.
Related guides
Put this into practice
Chatref answers your customers from your own content, day and night. Add it to your site and go live in minutes – free to start.