Digital Forms for Your Clinic: Intake, Consent and Signatures
May 28, 2026
How to build a digital form in Tipulim, send it to a patient by SMS or email, get it back signed, and switch on automatic sending for every new patient.
What is wrong with paper forms?
The traditional way is for a new patient to arrive early, fill in an intake or consent form by hand, and for someone to type in the details and file the sheet. Digital forms move the filling in to before the appointment, on the patient's own phone, and the answers reach you organised. That way the appointment time goes to treatment and not to paperwork.
What you can build
Under Forms in the menu, click "New form", give it a title and add fields. You can add
- short text, for example a name or phone, and long text, for example a description of the problem
- a checkbox, for example consent to treatment or to the terms
- a dropdown list and multiple checkboxes
- an on-screen signature field
- headings and text blocks for explanations
Any field can be marked as required, and you can reorder fields by dragging. You do not have to start from scratch. The "Import from template" button offers ready-made templates, by field of treatment, which you can adapt to yourself.
How to send a form to a patient
Each form has a "Send to patient" button. You choose a patient from the list or enter a phone number or email, and the patient receives a link by SMS or email. You can also copy the link and send it by any other means. The patient does not need an account. They open the link, fill in, sign and submit.
Automatic sending to a new patient
If you send the same intake form to every new patient, you can turn on automatic sending in Settings, under "Intake form for new patient". You choose which form to send and through which channels, SMS, email or WhatsApp. The option is off by default, and sending happens when you add a new patient through the patients screen. WhatsApp messages go out from a template approved in advance, and a patient can choose in their notification preferences not to receive the invitation on a particular channel. See also the system settings guide.
Signature and submission
The patient signs with a finger on the screen, or types their name as a signature. If you marked the signature field as required, the form cannot be submitted without it. The signature is saved with the submission and its submission time, and you receive an email with the answers. You see all submissions of a form through "View submissions", and also from the patient record.
How to build a good form
Ask only what you really need before the appointment, because a short form is more often completed in full. Mark only the essential fields as required. For informed consent, it is worth using a clear wording in a text block, a checkbox for approval and a signature field. Before sending to patients, open the link on your own phone and check that it looks and reads well. There is also an "Internal" tab for forms meant for your own use only, and these do not open through a public link.
Frequently asked questions
Does the patient need to register? No. Opening the link and entering a name is enough.
What happens if I change a form after sending it? The change shows immediately to anyone who opens the link, so edit a live form with care.
How do I stop receiving answers? Deactivate the form and its link will no longer open.
Does the signature replace legal advice? No. If a specific wording is required for informed consent, it is worth checking it with a professional. More guides on running your clinic are in the getting started guide.