The General Settings page allows you to configure core ClinicWP functionality including name formatting, examination access permissions, appointment behavior, and PDF report settings. Access this page from ClinicWP → Settings → General Settings tab.

Name Format Settings

Name Format

Controls how names are displayed throughout the plugin (patient lists, doctor lists, etc.).

Options:

  • First Name First - Displays as "John Doe"
  • Last Name First - Displays as "Doe John"

Default: Last Name First

Name Field Order in Forms

Controls the order of name input fields in forms (appointment booking, patient registration, etc.).

Options:

  • First Name First - First Name field appears before Last Name field
  • Last Name First - Last Name field appears before First Name field

Default: Last Name First

Note: This is a UX setting that doesn't affect how names are stored, only how the form fields are displayed to users.

Examination Access

Controls which examinations doctors can view and edit.

Options:

Own Examinations Only

  • Doctors can only view and edit examinations they created
  • Best for privacy-focused practices
  • Recommended for larger clinics with many doctors

All Examinations

  • Doctors can view all examinations from all doctors
  • Doctors can only edit their own examinations
  • Best for collaborative practices
  • Useful for clinics where doctors cover for each other

Default: All Examinations

Note: Patients can always view their own examinations regardless of this setting.

Terms & Conditions Page URL

Purpose: Require users to accept terms and conditions before booking appointments.

How it works:

  • Enter the full URL of your Terms & Conditions page
  • Example: https://yoursite.com/terms-and-conditions/
  • When set, users must check a box accepting terms before completing appointment booking
  • If left empty, no terms acceptance is required

Recommendation: Always set this for legal protection and transparency.

Appointment Reminder Time

Purpose: Set the daily time when appointment reminder emails are sent.

Format: 24-hour format (e.g., 09:00 for 9:00 AM)

How it works:

  • The system automatically sends reminder emails for upcoming appointments
  • Reminders are sent 24 hours before the appointment
  • All reminders for the day are sent at the specified time

Example: If set to 09:00, all patients with appointments tomorrow will receive reminders at 9:00 AM today.

Default: 09:00

Note: This feature requires WP-Cron to be functioning properly.

Auto-confirm Appointments

Purpose: Automatically set new appointments to "Confirmed" status.

Options:

  • Enabled (checked): New appointments are automatically confirmed
  • Disabled (unchecked): New appointments are set to "Pending" and require manual confirmation by the doctor

When to enable:

  • For automated booking workflows
  • When you trust the booking system completely
  • For practices that don't need to review appointments before confirming

When to disable:

  • When you need to review appointments before confirming
  • For resource-limited practices
  • When you need to verify availability manually

Default: Enabled

PDF Report Settings

PDF Report Title

Purpose: Customize the title that appears on examination PDF reports.

Example: "Medical Report", "Examination Results"

Note: This title appears prominently at the top of generated PDF examination reports.

Examination ID Prefix

Purpose: Set a prefix for automatically generated examination IDs.

Format: PREFIX-YEAR-COUNT

Example:

  • Prefix: "CWP"
  • Generated IDs: CWP-2025-0001, CWP-2025-0002, CWP-2025-0003

Uses:

  • Helps identify examinations from your practice
  • Maintains organized record numbering

Default: "CWP"

Logging Settings (Premium Feature)

Activity logging helps track important actions and changes within ClinicWP for audit and security purposes.

Enable Logging

Purpose: Track important system activities.

Logged actions include:

  • Patient creation and updates
  • Examination creation and edits
  • Appointment changes
  • Doctor profile modifications
  • Settings changes

When to enable:

  • For compliance requirements (HIPAA, GDPR)
  • For security auditing
  • To track staff activities
  • For troubleshooting issues

Note: This is a premium feature and requires an active license.

Log Retention Period

Purpose: Automatically delete old log files to save disk space.

Format: Number of days (e.g., 30, 60, 90)

How it works:

  • Log files older than the specified period are automatically deleted
  • Runs daily via WP-Cron
  • Helps maintain database performance

Default: 30 days

Recommendations:

  • 30 days: For small practices with basic needs
  • 60-90 days: For compliance requirements
  • 180+ days: For comprehensive audit trails

Log Files

Purpose: Manage existing log files.

Actions available:

  • View total size: See how much disk space logs are using
  • See file count: Number of log files stored
  • Delete All Logs: Permanently remove all log files
  • Download Logs (ZIP): Download all logs as a compressed archive

Use cases:

  • Regular cleanup to save space
  • Download logs for external audit
  • Troubleshooting system issues

Saving Settings

After making changes:

  1. Click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the page
  2. A success message will confirm changes are saved
  3. Changes take effect immediately

Best Practices

  • Configure Before Going Live: Set up all general settings before allowing patients to book appointments.
  • Set Terms & Conditions URL: Protect your practice legally by requiring terms acceptance.
  • Choose Appropriate Examination Access: Consider your practice size and collaboration needs when setting examination access.
  • Set Realistic Reminder Time: Choose a time when patients are likely to check their email (e.g., morning hours).
  • Enable Logging for Compliance: If you need to comply with regulations, enable activity logging.
  • Review Settings Periodically: Revisit settings quarterly to ensure they still match your practice needs.

Common Questions

Q: Can I change the name format after I've been using the system?
A: Yes, but it only affects how names are displayed, not how they're stored. Existing data remains intact.

Q: What happens if I don't set a Terms & Conditions URL?
A: Users can book appointments without accepting terms. This is not recommended.

Q: Will auto-confirm work with all appointment sources?
A: Yes, it applies to appointments created via the frontend booking form, doctor dashboard, and admin panel.

Q: Can I customize the examination ID format further?
A: Currently, the format is PREFIX-YEAR-COUNT. Custom formats require code modifications.

Q: Do logs slow down my site?
A: No, logging is optimized and has minimal performance impact. Regular cleanup prevents any issues.

Q: What happens if I disable logging after it's been enabled?
A: Existing logs are preserved but no new activities are logged.

Q: Can I export logs for compliance audits?
A: Yes, use the "Download Logs (ZIP)" button to get all logs as an archive.

Troubleshooting

Appointment Reminders Not Sending

Solution:

  • Verify the reminder time is set correctly
  • Check that WP-Cron is functioning: ClinicWP → Settings → Security → Test Cron
  • Verify email settings are configured
  • Use an SMTP plugin for reliable email delivery

Changes Not Saving

Solution:

  • Click the "Save Settings" button at the bottom
  • Check for error messages
  • Verify you have administrator permissions
  • Try clearing browser cache

Logging Not Working

Solution:

  • Verify you have an active premium license
  • Check that "Enable Logging" is checked
  • Ensure WP-Cron is running
  • Check file permissions for the logs directory

Log Files Taking Too Much Space

Solution:

  • Reduce the log retention period
  • Click "Delete All Logs" to start fresh
  • Download logs before deleting if needed for records