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Version: 1.0.70

Kiosk and Default OTP

MetahOS supports unattended self-service kiosks where patients can check themselves in, and a default-OTP login mode that makes onboarding and demonstrations friction-free. This page covers both, plus how patients registered or logged in this way are tracked.

At a glance​

fa-desktop | Kiosk logs in with Kiosk ID and PIN | Here is what happens at this step.
fa-user | Patient verifies identity | This is the person we are helping.
fa-circle-o | Allow-list set? | Here is what happens at this step.
fa-mobile | Default OTP accepted for all | Here is what happens at this step.
fa-mobile | Mobile on list? | Here is what happens at this step.
fa-mobile | Real SMS OTP required | A text message is sent.
fa-mobile | Join queue and flag default-OTP usage | Here is what happens at this step.
fa-print | Print check-in receipt | Here is what happens at this step.

Self-queuing kiosk​

A self-queuing kiosk is a physical device (typically near reception) that a patient uses to join a doctor's queue. Each kiosk is configured once by an administrator with:

  • a Kiosk ID and a PIN (used to authenticate the kiosk itself),
  • the doctors it serves (so it only offers the right queues),
  • its physical location — site, building, floor and room.

Kiosks log in with their PIN and Kiosk ID. At check-in, MetahOS validates the Kiosk ID and only shows consultations for the doctors assigned to that kiosk, so a patient at a given kiosk sees only the relevant queues. A kiosk can be disabled without deleting it.

When the MetahOS web app is opened with a kiosk=1 (or kiosk=true) parameter in the URL, it switches into kiosk mode for that session, adjusting the interface for unattended use.

Default OTP login​

Patient-facing flows normally verify a patient with a one-time password sent to their mobile. For onboarding, kiosks and controlled environments, MetahOS supports a default OTP — a fixed code that is accepted in place of a live SMS OTP.

How it behaves is driven by two configuration settings:

  • A default OTP value that patients may use in place of a live SMS code.
  • An optional allow-list of approved mobile numbers.

The logic is:

  • If the allow-list is empty or not set, the default OTP is accepted for all patients.
  • If the allow-list contains numbers, the default OTP is accepted only for mobiles on that list; everyone else must use a real OTP.

When a patient verifies using the default OTP, MetahOS records this on the verification attempt and on the patient record so it is never mistaken for a live verification.

caution

The default OTP bypasses real identity verification. Use the allow-list of approved numbers to restrict it to known test or staff numbers in any production environment, and avoid leaving an empty allow-list (which enables it for everyone).

Tracking default-OTP usage​

MetahOS keeps two flags on the patient record so you can always tell how a patient came in:

  • A flag set when the patient's most recent login used the default OTP.
  • A flag set when the patient was registered during a session that used the default OTP.

Pending OTP records similarly carry a default-OTP marker once verified, so the audit trail is complete from registration through every subsequent login.

Kiosk receipts​

After a patient checks in at a kiosk, MetahOS produces a receipt confirming the check-in and queue position, which the patient can take with them. This closes the self-service loop: scan or enter details, join the queue, and walk away with a printed confirmation.