Assessments are the foundation of effective treatment planning. They reveal the detail behind a patient’s needs, capture their motivations and provide the data clinicians rely on to make informed choices. With that insight, treatment goals become clear, realistic and meaningful. Plans move from guesswork to precision, and the consultation becomes the start of a trusted relationship. Repeated over time, Assessments make progress visible and create natural opportunities for new conversations.
The product team at DappleOS had a simple goal: make Assessments an effortless part of the patient journey and ensure they directly shape the Treatment Plan. We set out to design a flow that felt natural for clinicians and reliable as a foundation for prescribing.
So, what exactly is it?
The Assessment Tool in DappleOS is a set of structured questions, configured by your clinic. It defines the areas to be graded and the scales for evaluation. Those findings link directly to Treatment Pathways. Clinics can customise assessment areas and setup Pathways based on their unique products and services.
The Assessment is editable, and becomes a constant in the patient’s journey. Goals change, progress is made, and that story is captured in the patient profile. Patients can see why recommendations are being made today, and how those connect to what was recorded last time.
Grading that builds a bigger picture
During the consultation, clinicians step through the configured areas and grade each one on a simple scale from non-existent to severe. Prompts can be added to the right-hand side, coaching newer staff through the language of consultation or reminding them of clinical pointers. This balances guidance with clinical judgement and gives patients a consistent experience, regardless of who they see.
From a product design perspective, this was important. We didn’t want assessments to be a dead-end. These presets were designed to make the data meaningful and actionable. Even if a patient isn’t ready to treat pigmentation today, the fact it is graded as “moderate” is stored. That information can be referenced in the future, feeding into Pathways and automated marketing flows. Clinics can surface relevant opportunities, and patients benefit from timely, personalised recommendations.
From assessment to pathways
This is where the Assessment connects to outcomes. In DappleOS, Pathways are clinic-defined templates that translate assessment findings into a structured plan. They represent the clinic’s standard of care for common concerns. When a primary or secondary concern is recorded, DappleOS automatically applies the relevant Pathway to the Treatment Plan.
For example, if wrinkles are the primary concern, the predefined wrinkle Pathway might map six months of treatments. If pigmentation is a secondary concern, a skincare and energy-based device Pathway can be added in parallel. Clinicians then review and adapt these plans, editing timelines, adding notes, or personalising for milestones like a wedding.
Why this matters for teams
The design is about more than efficiency. It standardises the consultation experience across clinics, so every patient is assessed the same way, and every clinician has the same structure to work from. Our goal was to reduce variance, prevent under-prescribing and make it easier for clinics to replicate their standards at scale.
Driving engagement and growth
For patients, the impact is immediate. Their concerns are documented, translated into a plan, and tracked over time. That transparency builds trust and strengthens adherence, which is where clinical outcomes and business performance align.
When patients see their results recorded and linked to a clear pathway, they are more likely to commit. Appointments are booked in advance, concerns are addressed systematically, and confidence grows with each consultation. Clinics benefit from steadier revenue, lower drop-off, and greater uptake of diversified treatments.
If you haven’t set up Assessments and Pathways in your DappleOS account, you can find a step-by-step guide in our Help Centre. Once configured, it becomes one of the most powerful levers for clinical and consultative excellence.
In the next article, we’ll explore how Treatment Plans are built, adapted and used to keep patients engaged long after the consultation ends.
Assessments and Pathways are available on the Pro Plan only.
