Intake forms gather what you need before care begins: history, consent, a payment method. You send them from the client's record in two steps, forms first and email second. For a dependent, the forms go to the parent or guardian who signs on their behalf, and Carepatron picks that person for you.
This article is for practitioners sending forms. The section What the client sees describes the recipient's steps, so you can talk a client or guardian through them.
In this article:
Send an intake
Forms must be fillable for the client to complete them. Add fillable fields when you build the template.
Open the client's record, click More actions and choose Send intake.
Under Choose forms and agreements, pick a folder or individual templates. Your default Intake folder is already selected.
Turn on Capture payment method if you want a card on file. This needs your Stripe account set up.
Click Continue, review the email subject and body, then click Send.
Note: You can also send an intake from the Clients page: hover over the client and click the Intake icon. On mobile, tap Preview to see the full email before sending.
Important: An intake link is valid for 30 days. There is no single list of everyone you have sent intakes to; check each client's Documentation tab.
Send an intake for a dependent
When the client is a dependent, the panel says so and addresses the forms to the adult who signs for them.
Open Send intake. A banner says the client is a dependent whose forms a parent or guardian signs.
Pick the forms and agreements as you would for any client, then click Continue.
On Compose email, the To field is already set to the guardian who signs on the client's behalf.
Edit the greeting if you want to. The default email greets the client by name, not the guardian.
Click Send. The guardian completes and signs the forms as themselves, on behalf of the client.
Important: A dependent with nobody marked Signs on the client's behalf cannot be sent an intake. Add a parent or guardian on the Relationships tab first.
What the client sees
The recipient does not need a portal login to complete an intake. The steps below are fixed; you cannot change them.
They click the link in the email, which opens an invitation page on Carepatron.
They enter their details to register, and say whether they want SMS notifications if they give a mobile number.
Each form and agreement appears as a card with its status and a clear next action.
Before submitting a form they can keep editing, save and return later, or submit.
When every card is complete they click Finish, and the documents appear in the client's Documentation tab.
Note: If the recipient sees an unexpected error, ask them to log out of any Carepatron account and open the link again in a private browser window.
Note: If a form opened in Responder mode will not accept answers, ask them to click the eye icon in the top right of the form rather than See more.
SMS consent on the intake
When SMS consent is enabled on the intake link, the registration step records the recipient's choice as an audited consent entry.
When it appears | Once the recipient enters a mobile number on the registration step. |
Question | Receive SMS notifications. |
Choices | Yes, text me notifications, or No, I prefer email only. |
Required | Yes, whenever a mobile number is entered. The form cannot be submitted without an answer. |
Where it is recorded | In the consent log, against the person who registered. |
Frequently asked questions
Why does the email say Hi Fred when it goes to the parent?
The greeting uses the client's name. Edit the body before sending if you would rather address the guardian.
Can the dependent complete their own intake?
Not in this flow. Intakes for a dependent go to the person who signs on their behalf; change that person on the Relationships tab if needed.
Do portal invitations expire like intake links?
No. Portal invitations stay valid; only the intake link expires after 30 days.
Read more: Dependent clients and their guardians
Our team is here to help with any questions or concerns. Just open a conversation through the Help channel in your workspace.