How to Use the Duplicate Enquiry Alert

Purpose of This Article

When the same patient submits more than one request in the same day — for example by calling EMMA twice or by completing a SOFIA link after already calling — both submissions arrive in your inbox. Without a flag, your team may action the same request twice. The Duplicate Enquiry Alert prevents this.

Main Content

What the Duplicate Enquiry Alert Does

The Duplicate Enquiry Alert automatically detects when the same patient has submitted multiple enquiries on the same day. When a duplicate is detected, a clear Duplicate Enquiry label is displayed directly on the affected submission in the inbox.

The alert appears in real time as submissions are processed. No configuration is needed — it is automatically enabled for all practices.

How the Alert Works

The system checks for matching patient numbers across submitted enquiries created on the same day. The logic is:

• Only same-day submissions are flagged — enquiries from previous days are not considered duplicates
• The match is based on patient number, not name alone
• When a match is found, the alert appears on the later submission

The alert is visible across three sections of the dashboard:

• The main inbox
• The Failed section
• The Review section

This ensures your team sees the flag wherever in the workflow they encounter the submission.

What the Alert Does Not Mean

A Duplicate Enquiry alert does not automatically mean the second submission should be ignored or deleted. There are legitimate reasons a patient may submit more than once on the same day, including:

• The patient called twice about different issues
• The patient submitted via SOFIA after their call dropped and then called again to follow up
• The patient made an error in their first submission and called back to correct it

The alert is a prompt to review, not an instruction to discard. Your team should check both submissions and decide how to handle them based on their content.

How to Handle a Flagged Submission

When you see a Duplicate Enquiry alert:

1. Open the flagged submission and review its content.
2. Search for the patient in your inbox to locate their earlier submission from the same day.
3. Compare both submissions to determine whether they relate to the same request or different issues.
4. If they are the same request, action the more complete submission and close or archive the other.
5. If they relate to different issues, action both as separate requests.

Your team's clinical judgement applies. The alert is informational — it gives your team visibility, not a decision.

Step-by-Step Instructions

When you see a Duplicate Enquiry alert on a submission:

1. Note the patient name and the time of the flagged submission.
2. Search your inbox for other submissions from the same patient submitted on the same day.
3. Open both submissions side by side and compare the content.
4. Determine whether the submissions relate to the same issue or different issues.
5. If the same issue: action the more complete or most recent submission. Mark the other as reviewed or archive it according to your practice's workflow.
6. If different issues: action both submissions as separate requests.
7. If unsure: discuss with your clinical lead or practice manager before actioning.

Troubleshooting

The alert is appearing on submissions that do not seem to be duplicates. The alert is triggered by matching patient numbers on the same day, regardless of the content of the submissions. Two submissions from the same patient on the same day will always trigger the alert, even if they relate to completely different issues. This is expected behaviour — review both submissions and use your judgement.

We are seeing a large number of duplicate alerts and it is creating extra work. A high volume of duplicate alerts may indicate patients are calling back because they are unsure whether their first request was received. Consider reviewing your patient communications to reassure patients that EMMA submissions are received and actioned. You can also check EMMA's out-of-hours or confirmation messages with your account manager.

The alert is not appearing for submissions we believe are duplicates. The alert only flags same-day submissions. If the patient submitted on a previous day, no alert will appear. Also confirm that both submissions are from PDS-verified patients — the matching is based on patient number.

We cannot find the earlier submission the alert is referring to. Check your inbox filters. The earlier submission may have been moved to the completed, reviewed, or archived section. Use the patient search in the dashboard to locate all submissions from that patient.

FAQs

Is the Duplicate Enquiry Alert enabled automatically? Yes. The alert is automatically enabled for all practices with no configuration required.

Does the alert apply to SOFIA submissions as well as EMMA calls? Yes. The alert applies to all submissions in your inbox, regardless of whether they came from an EMMA call or a SOFIA text session.

Can we turn the alert off? The alert does not currently have a per-practice off switch. Contact support@quantumloopai.com if you have a specific reason for wanting to disable it.

Does the alert apply to submissions from previous days? No. Only same-day submissions are compared. A patient who submitted yesterday and again today will not trigger the alert.

What should we do if a patient calls back to chase their first submission? EMMA advises patients at the start of calls not to submit duplicate requests if they have already submitted one in the last 24 hours and sets expectations about response times. If a patient still calls back to chase, their second submission will be flagged. Review both submissions — the second may simply be a follow-up and may not require separate actioning.