SMS for healthcare and medical services

Text Messaging for Healthcare

Use text messaging to reduce missed appointments, improve treatment efficacy and keep staff informed through health text messaging.

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Save Money with Healthcare SMS Communications

Time equals money in almost every industry; no more so than in the field of healthcare. No-shows represent an enormous financial drain on the system - costing governments millions of dollars. In fact, it's estimated that missed appointments cost $150 billion every year in the United States, with up to 30% of appointments missed. In the UK, more than 5 million outpatient appointments are missed at a cost of £160 each.

Doctors in a hospital

This is why SMS Healthcare Solutions are a modern essential for hospitals, aged care facilities, area health services, outpatient facilities, medical and dental clinics, private practices, and complementary and alternative health organizations.

Set Up SMS For Your Healthcare Business

Whether you work in a hospital, general medical practice, dental practice, specialist office, locum, pathology lab, clinic, psychology or mental health services, allied health centre, physiotherapist or chiropractor, you will see real results through text messaging.

You can automate your communications to patients to set up medication reminders, appointment reminders or alerts to changes in situation based on triggers unique to each patient. Or send ad hoc blasts when circumstances change; text messaging is incredibly useful for circulating information on changes in regulation, medication availability, staffing, professional development trainings and more.

Reducing Missed Healthcare Appointments with SMS Reminders

SMS example - appointment confirmation and reminder via text

Statistically, SMS appointment reminders significantly reduce the number of missed appointments in the medical arena. By sending out text message reminders, appointment no-shows or lateness can be dramatically reduced. Studies in the UK where patients are sent a reminder about their appointment, which mentions that by not attending their appointment costs taxpayers £160, have already demonstrated a reduction in 25% of missed appointments. This delivers an immediate benefit to all interested parties; not only the healthcare provider and taxpayer, but the patient too.

Want to reduce appointment non-attendance at your business? Integrate your medical appointment scheduling tool with ClickSend and have text message reminders sent 24 hours ahead of every appointment. With long wait times for specialist appointments, this can be especially useful as patients can easily forget their future appointments, especially if they booked it verbally and have no written record of it.

Effective Communication with Sick and Elderly Patients

An SMS messaging service can be used very effectively to send patients clinical alerts and reminders; for example, medication reminders. Clinical studies have shown that “mobile phone text messaging approximately doubles the odds of medication adherence.” plus text messaging is unobtrusive, causing minimal embarrassment to patients and thus improving their reception to your treatments and ultimately their health. Furthermore, receipt of messages can be tracked by you, the sender, to ensure the message has reached.

There are so many possibilities for text message automation to communicate with your patients:

  • Reminders to take medication

  • Educational messaging - eg. tips about diet, exercise, healthy living

  • Health alerts - eg. measles outbreak in the area

  • Contact tracing - minimise impact of deadly viruses by communicating quickly with those who may have been in the same vicinity as those infected

  • Annual reminders - eg. encouraging patients to get their flu vaccine, book their annual dental scale and clean, yearly general checkup

  • Regular reminders - do you see patients on a monthly, 6-8 weekly or several times a year basis? Send reminders to rebook to ensure your patients get the best care.

SMS example - text message reminder to take medication

Internal Healthcare Communications Made Easy with SMS

SMS example - staffing and rostering via text

An SMS messaging service can be used to effectively communicate with your entire staff: send shift reminders, quickly fill absentee shifts, send roster alerts in advance to agency staff such as nurses, and reach an entire employee base simultaneously. Set up these automations now and know that you are prepared for peak periods, holidays and last minute emergencies.

Some Favorite SMS Templates for the Healthcare Industry

When life and public health are at stake, ensure your messages reach their intended recipients on time, every time.

SMS for Doctor Appointment Confirmation

Hi {first name}, thank you for booking an appointment with {doctor} at {time} on {day}. Note: if you are experiencing chest pain or severe symptoms dial 000 now.

SMS for Doctor Appointment Reminder

Hi {first name}, just a quick reminder of your appointment with {doctor} at {time}. If for any reason you are unable to make your appointment, please reply CANCEL to cancel your appointment or reschedule your appointment here {link}.

Educational Text Messaging for Patients

Hey {first name}, did you know that {disease or condition} can be prevented by {preventative measure}? Here is more info {link} on ways you can protect yourself from {disease}. Kind regards, {healthcare provider}.

Text Message for Medical Test Reports

Hi {first name}, your {test type} test results are available for collection. Please book an appointment here {link} so we can run through your results with you. {Medical centre}.

Reactivation: Annual Patient Checkup Reminder

Hi {first name}. Can you believe it? It has almost been a year since your last checkup with us. Maintain good health with regular checkups - book now at {link}. {Healthcare provider}.

Scheduling Specialist Doctor Appointments by SMS

Hi {first name}, we have received your referral from {GP name} for an appointment with {specialist doctor}. Please go to {link} to book an appointment. Kind regards, {specialist's office}.

All Healthcare Communications in One Place

What sets ClickSend apart from the rest? Not only do we have full 24/7 customer support and 99.95% uptime SLA guarantee, but we also offer a full suite of communications.

Use online fax to send HIPAA compliant faxes automatically

The healthcare industry is still very reliant on fax services and it's important that communications are sent securely. Forget having to own a fax machine, send fax quickly and securely with our cloud fax service. Know that your faxes are sent quickly and to the highest security standards.

Use online post to send sensitive healthcare records and information safely

Want to amp up your annual reminders? How about sending an automated postcard when it's time for your patients to return for their checkup? Need to send letters, test results, invoices or other official documents? You can do this too with the ClickSend print to post letter service.

Let's Get Started with SMS for Healthcare Providers

Call or email ClickSend via our contact form today to learn how SMS healthcare solutions can enhance your productivity and the satisfaction of your staff and patients.

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