Category: Troubleshooting | Module: PatientPro | Created: 9/6/2026 | Last Updated: 9/6/2026
Problem
The kiosk is locked and nobody can unlock it, patients cannot identify themselves, the card reader does nothing, or the screen sits empty.
Background
The kiosk is a tablet running the patient portal, held in a locked mode that only an authenticator code releases. Most problems are one of three things: the lock, the patient's own details not matching, or the local card-reader helper not running.
Resolution
- "Kiosk access is locked." and no code works. The code comes from a staff phone enrolled when the kiosk was set up. If that phone is gone, use the Manual entry key: kept at setup to enrol another, or Re-enable Authenticator to start enrolment again. If neither is available, contact NaturaeSoft support - this cannot be resolved from the locked device.
- A patient cannot get past the name and date step. The kiosk says which field failed - Last name does not match. or DOB does not match. Look at the patient record. A married name never updated, or a date of birth mistyped years ago, will fail every single visit until the record is corrected.
- The card reader does nothing. The NFC Bridge runs locally on the machine the reader is plugged into, so check it is installed and running on that machine. If typing the patient in works and tapping does not, the reader or the bridge is the problem, not the kiosk. Re-run Install.bat from the Download NFC Bridge Installer package if needed.
- The screen says there is nothing to do. No check-ins pending right now and No patients ready to check out are normal idle states. If you expected somebody, check they have an appointment today and that it is not already checked in.
- Check-out asks for no payment when something is owed. No balance due. reflects the balance on the visit at that moment. If charges were added after the patient reached the kiosk, they will not appear - settle it at the desk and add the charges before check-out next time.
- The device shows as Pending or Disabled. In device administration, check its Status / Action. A device that was disabled, or never moved from Pending to Active, will not work.
Insurance captured at the kiosk looks wrong
Check which option the patient chose. Add as Secondary, Keep Both Active and Deactivate Old do different things, and a patient guessing at that question can leave two active primaries or deactivate cover that was still valid. Correct it on the patient record; it will otherwise surface as a rejected claim weeks later.
Preventing most of it
- Enrol at least two staff phones for the kiosk lock.
- Keep the manual entry key somewhere off the device.
- Fix mismatched records the first time rather than checking that patient in by hand every visit.
- Put the kiosk where staff can see it, so a stuck patient gets help instead of giving up.