Patient Intake
Build a patient intake form with consent signatures, send it before the visit, and give staff the record, using Formesign's intake templates.
Reviewed 2026-10-30 · Formesign guides
Quick Answer
How do I collect patient intake forms before a visit?
Start from a Formesign intake template at formesign.com/intake-forms or the signature-form chooser. Remove questions you don't need, add consent signatures, mark health fields as PHI, and complete the HIPAA check. Prefill what you already know, send it by link or email, then find the signed record in the SIGNED PDF tab.
Getting paperwork done before the visit gives your team time to review it, and saves patients a clipboard in the waiting room.
We'll follow a fictional clinic that wants new patients to complete their details, health history, and consent before their first appointment.
Set it up
Choose a starting point
Formesign's intake templates include patient, medical, dental, psychiatry, chiropractic, optometry, pediatric, physiotherapy, dermatology, and podiatry intake forms. Already have a paper form? Upload it as a PDF instead.
Trim the questions
In the editor, remove everything you won't use. Shorter forms get finished, and every field you skip is one you don't have to protect.
Add consent
Put your approved consent wording above the signature, and consider a consent screen. For a minor, add a guardian signature.
Protect health information
Complete the HIPAA check before collecting anything real. It covers PHI fields, the BAA, and email.
Test it on a phone
Most patients will fill this in on a phone. Open the link on one and go through it with fictional details.
Send it to patients
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Every new patient gets the same link | The link or a QR code for your site or reception |
| You already know their name and visit | A prefilled link |
| It should go out before each appointment | Scheduled emails |
Patients who stop part-way can return on the same browser and choose Continue. See What Signers See.
See what's still outstanding
Open the Kanban board before each clinic session. Abandoned shows forms that were started and not finished, so staff can offer help. Rename columns or add your own, such as Reviewed by nurse.
Prepare for the appointment
| Staff need | Where |
|---|---|
| The signed consent | SIGNED PDF tab |
| A filing copy | Google Drive folder with access limited to the right staff |
| A list for the day | Reports, with only the columns needed |
Connecting to your EHR
Saving a PDF to Drive doesn't put it in your electronic health record. Filing it there is a step for your staff or a separate integration.