The Tasks queue, with view tabs, filters and the notification status pill
The Tasks queue is where all active patient requests land once a Task Type is live at a location. Requests are patient-initiated and routed to the right staff based on request type and location. See Notification Settings in Care Team. Staff can also submit a request on behalf of a patient using the Make Request tab in the patient visit sidebar.
The Make Request tab in the visit sidebar
A guided tour for setting up and working the tasks queue is available directly in Care Team.
The Tasks Queue
The Tasks queue displays all active requests with patient name, Task Type, location, assignee, status, and time created. Each row carries the Task Type as a colored label, followed by a one-line summary of the request. Each tab displays a live count so the team can triage at a glance.
All, Notified, Mine and In Progress filter by workflow state. Notified lists the requests that match the signed-in staff member’s current locations and Task Types. Complaints, Food, Recognition and Requests jump directly to a Task Type category.
Additional filters narrow the queue by Facility, Location, Type, Assignee, and Status. In the Type filter, Only beside a Task Type narrows the queue to that type alone.
📌 These filters are view-only. They do not affect what patients can request or change alert settings.
Grouping tasks
Use the Group by control on the right side of the filter bar to organize the queue by Category or Patient, or leave it set to None for a flat chronological list.
Group by Category collapses tasks under color-coded category headers (Complaints, Requests, Food, Recognition) each displaying a count. This is the fastest way to scan a busy queue and prioritize by request type.
Group by Patient gathers multiple requests from the same patient under one header, useful when one patient has submitted several requests. Requests from patients with a single open task appear under Other tasks.
The Tasks queue grouped by patient, with two requests from one patient under a single header
📌 Grouping is a view preference only. It does not affect alerts, availability, or task assignment.
The My notifications on pill in the top-right corner displays how many locations are covered and which Task Types the staff member is subscribed to (for example, "My notifications on: 2 locations · Environmental Services +1"). If the pill reads My notifications off, Staffing-based tasks at those locations may be unavailable to patients. Click it to turn notifications on.
The My notifications on pill beside the view tabs
When push is not yet turned on for the current device, the Tasks page offers Get task alerts on this device. Accepting it lets alerts pop up as they arrive, even when Vital is in the background.
📌 Assignees are displayed by name, keeping the queue clean and letting the more important information, patient, request, and status, stay front and center.
Opening a Task
Click the patient’s name, or choose View Task from the actions menu, to open the task sidebar. It displays:
The task status and how long ago the request was made
Patient name, age, and sex
A visit summary with location, MRN, and reason for visit, plus a View Visit link
The request itself, headed by its Task Type
An Activity timeline recording when the task was created, who it is assigned to, and who completed it
Patient contact information
Reason for visit is sensitive information. It appears only for the Clinical, Management and Registration roles. See User Roles in Vital Care Team. Current and assigned locations appear separately only when they differ.
The task sidebar for a completed request, with the request card and activity timeline
The Activity timeline
The Activity timeline in the task sidebar records three steps, each with its date and time:
Created: when the request arrived. A request raised by staff reads Requested by with their name, and a task raised from a survey reads Created from patient feedback.
Assigned to: who the task is assigned to, and when. On an open task, this step holds the assignee picker.
Completed by: who completed the task, when, and how long after it was created. Until then it reads Not completed yet.
Messages sent to the patient are not part of the timeline. They appear under Sent messages on the Send Message tab.
For Patient Complaint tasks: read the full survey response before approaching the patient. The request card displays the rating, the issues the patient selected, and any written comments. Understanding the specific concern before the bedside visit makes a significant difference in outcome.
A patient complaint task, with the rating, selected issues and written response
Assigning a Task
Tasks can be assigned to a specific team member using the Assigned to dropdown in the Activity timeline. On an unassigned task, Assign to me beside the dropdown assigns it to the signed-in staff member in one click. The assignee receives a push notification.
The Assigned to control in the activity timeline of an unassigned task
Completing an unassigned task assigns it to the staff member who completed it. Once a task is completed, the assignee is part of its history and can no longer be changed.
Only use assignment tracking if it aligns with the facility’s workflow. Not all facilities use this feature. If a request falls outside a staff member’s scope, route it to the right person immediately rather than leaving it unaddressed.
The Assignee filter on the Tasks queue displays requests by who they are assigned to, or filters to unassigned tasks.
Sending a Message to a Patient
Care team members can send one-way messages to the patient directly from the task. Choose Send Message from the actions menu, or open the Send Message tab in the task sidebar, then pick a quick reply or write a custom message. Quick replies are set up by Vital for each facility and can differ by Task Type. Messages already sent appear under Sent messages.
The Send Message tab, with quick replies above the Send button
💬 This is one-way messaging only, patients cannot respond to these messages.
Completing a Task
Once a request has been addressed, resolve the patient’s need per the task details. Then open the actions menu (the three dots) on the right side of the task and choose Mark as Complete. The status moves to Completed and a Task completed confirmation appears.
The actions menu on an in-progress task, offering Mark as Complete
If a task was closed prematurely, choose Mark as In Progress from the same menu to reopen it.
The actions menu on a completed task, offering Mark as In Progress
⚠️ Before logging out: Logging out turns off all notifications across all facilities and removes push from that device. If the staff member is the last active member of a Task Type group, request buttons may be disabled for patients. Vital displays a confirmation warning before logging out. Do not dismiss it without confirming handoff.
Mobile
On a phone, filters and sorting collapse into compact controls, keeping more tasks visible on screen at once.
Task list: view tabs appear in a compact row with live counts. Each task row displays patient name, age, Task Type, status, request summary, time created, location, and assignee.
Filters: all filters (Location, Type, Assignee, Status) collapse into a single bottom sheet. Tap the filter icon to expand.
Type filter: Task Types are grouped by category (Feedback, Food, Requests), so it is always clear what the queue is filtered to.
Actions menu: tap the three dots on any task row to open an actions menu with the patient name as the header, making it clear which task is being acted on. Available actions: View Task, Send Message, and Mark as Complete (or Mark as In Progress on a completed task).
The actions menu on a phone, headed by the patient name
📌 The actions menu surfaces the three most common task actions in one tap, without needing to open the full task sidebar.
FAQs
A request came in but the alert was missed.
Check the Notified tab, which lists requests matching the staff member’s current locations and Task Types. If the request is no longer visible, it may have been completed or picked up by another team member.
A request needs submitting on behalf of a patient.
Use the Make Request tab in the patient visit sidebar. Select the request type and submit. It appears in the Tasks queue like any other request.
A task was marked complete by mistake.
Open the actions menu on the task and choose Mark as In Progress to reopen it and return it to the queue.
Only one staff member is covering a Task Type and needs to log out.
Before logging out, confirm another team member or a shared device has notifications on for that Task Type and location. If the last active member logs out, patients lose the ability to submit that request type. Vital displays a warning; use it to coordinate handoff.