Transcript of the interview notes:

The appointment and visit processing system includes the four major sub processes described below:

Record new patient information: On their first visit to the dental office, new patients will fill out a "patient information form" before they can make an appointment with the dentist. This form will record the patient's name, phone, address and e$-$mail address, the patient's scheduling preference information $($the day$($s$)$ of week and time$($s$)$ of day that would be convenient for the patient for an appointment$),$ insurance information, health history and allergies. After being received and verified by the appointment clerk, the information from the "patient information form" is stored in a Microsoft Access "Patient" data base that will hold information relating to each patient.

Schedule appointments: When an existing patient $($i$.$e$.,$ someone who has already had dental work done at the office$)$ wishes to schedule a new appointment, they will be able to do so using e$-$mail. The scheduling process will work as follows:

The patient will send an e$-$mail to the dental office. The e$-$mail will serve as an appointment request and will need to include the following basic information: the patient's name, the type of requested service $($e$.$g$.,$ standard check$-$up$,$ teeth cleaning, examine a specific dental problem, etc.$),$ and the urgency of the appointment.

Once the e$-$mail is received by the appointment clerk, the clerk will check on the patient's general scheduling preferences in the Microsoft Access "Patient" data base that holds information relating to each patient. $($Note: You may assume that a patient's preferences do not change over time.$)$ The clerk will then look in a big hard copy appointment book to find the first open appointment that will be appropriate for the patient's needs.

Once the clerk has found a potential date and time, the clerk will then send an e$-$mail to the patient to inform the patient of the potential appointment date$/$time$.$

The patient will respond with an e$-$mail message that will either accept or reject the appointment. If the patient does accept the appointment, then the clerk updates the appointment book by including the new appointment information in the appointment book. The appointment information consists of the patient's name, type of service $($e$.$g$.,$ check$-$up$),$ and date$/$time of appointment. If the patient does not accept the appointment, then the clerk will repeat the process of checking the appointment book and informing the patient of a potential appointment date$/$time until the patient accepts an appointment.

Prepare form for patient's office visit: When a patient arrives at the dental office for their appointment, the patient will check in with the appointment clerk and provide their name. $($Note: In addition to handling appointments, one of the appointment clerk's responsibilities is to serve as the receptionist for the office.$)$ The appointment clerk will then create a hard copy of an "office visit report form" for the patient by using information from the Microsoft Access "Patient" data base. This form will list personal information about the patient $($e$.$g$.,$ name, billing address, health insurance plan, occupation, hobbies$).($Note: Some of the personal information on this form will be used by the dental assistant and dentist to help to make "small talk" with the patient and thereby put the patient at ease$).$ The form will also include some "white space" areas that will provide places where the dental assistant will later record findings $($via hand writing$)$ related to the patient's dental visit $($e$.$g$.,$ status of teeth, etc.$).$ After the form is created, the appointment clerk will quickly verify that the form was printed properly and then will physically deliver the form to the dental assistant, who will be the first health care person to see the patient.

Store patient information: While the patient is seeing the dental assistant and the dentist, information will be recorded on the hardcopy of the patient's "office visit report form" by the dental assistant $($e$.$g$.,$ notations will be made regarding the condition of teeth, new dental work performed, etc.$).$ After the patient is done with the appointment, the dental assistant will return the filled$-$out form to the appointment clerk. The clerk will then transcribe the information written on the form to update the patient's records in the Microsoft Access "Patient" data base.

What you need to do:

PLEASE DRAW A Context DFD$.$ Assume that the processes described above for the Appointment clerk are internal to the system. Assume that the Patient, Dental Assistant, and Dentist are external to the system.