Most physicians’ offices already send appointment reminders, and for good reason. Research in the National Library of Medicine “found consistent evidence that all types of reminder systems are effective at improving appointment attendance across a range of healthcare settings and patient populations. … Unless otherwise indicated, all patients should receive a reminder to facilitate attendance at their healthcare appointment.”
Researchers also found text messaging was the most effective way to remind patients: “SMS reminders are reported to have successful contact rates of 97%–99%.”
Does your electronic medical record (EMR) system let you send appointment reminder texts? If not, it’s easy to add that capability with Plivo’s SMS API. We’ve written a getting started guide that shows just how easy it is for developers to add text messaging to existing application code. Plivo provides SDKs for the seven most widely used web development languages, including Python, Ruby, and Java.
Implementing appointment reminders is technically easy, but you should follow some best practices for optimal results. These practices apply to any kind of business in which customers make appointments — not just healthcare communication but also hair stylists, tax professionals, and even restaurants that accept reservations.
What is an appointment reminder text?
An appointment reminder text is just what it sounds like—a short message sent to a person reminding them about an upcoming appointment. These messages are typically sent via SMS to conveniently make sure someone doesn't forget about their scheduled meeting, salon appointment, medical consultation, or other type of event.
Medical appointment reminders are used specifically by clinics, doctor’s offices, hospitals and other health institutions to schedule or confirm follow-ups, routine checkups, or specialist consultations. Medical appointment reminders take the same format as, say, a salon appointment reminder. However, these texts have to comply with HIPAA regulations.
Why do some clients prefer text message reminders over call and email?
There are several reasons why some people prefer to get text message reminders rather than email or calls. Text messages are convenient and non-disruptive: they can be read when the client has a free moment and don’t require immediate action, especially if received during work hours. Text messages are also quick and easy to respond to if someone needs to reschedule or cancel their appointment.
Text messages are also one of the most effective ways to reach clients. More than 80% of consumers check their texts within five minutes of receiving a notification. Text messages typically have higher open rates than emails, which can get lost in cluttered inboxes.
Finally, text messages are accessible to virtually anyone with a basic mobile phone — no internet is needed. Text messages may be the easiest way to communicate, especially for medical patients with hearing impairments.
How do you write an appointment reminder text message?
Appointment text messages should be clear, straightforward, and to the point. The most important thing is to include the following information:
- Time and date of the appointment
- Your business name
- How to reschedule or cancel
Some businesses include the appointment location (address) to make it convenient for clients to find them. Note that SMS messages have a limit of 20-40 words; as a result, stick to the most important information with a way for clients to get in touch if they need more details.
Examples of appointment reminder texts
Here are a few templates that you can customize to send appointment reminders to your clients.
Example 1: Hi, [Name]! You have an upcoming appointment on [Date] at [Time] with [Business Name]. Please respond 1 to confirm, 2 to cancel and 3 to reschedule. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Example 2: Hi [Name], this is a friendly reminder that your appointment is on [Date] at [Time]. You can find us at [Address]. If you can no longer attend, please call us at [Phone Number]. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Example 3: Hi [Name], I’m with [Business Name] reaching out to remind you that your appointment is on [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know within 24 hours if you need to cancel or reschedule. Thank you!
Best practices for text message reminders
1. Be timely
Medical offices and most other businesses should send a reminder 24 hours before the appointment. If your office charges a fee for last-minute cancellations, send the reminder 24 hours before the fee would kick in. That gives the patient enough time to cancel or reschedule.
2. Be personal
Include the recipient’s name so that the recipient knows the message is coming to the right person, even if they’re forgotten all about the appointment.
3. Be precise
Include all of the facts they need to know — not just the appointment time but the location. You can also remind them to bring proof of insurance. If there are special considerations, such as a nearby detour for ongoing roadwork or a closed parking garage, include that information as well if you want your patients to be on time.
4. Be professional
Appointment reminder messages should be conversational in tone — friendly and professional. Nobody wants a machine-generated text that sounds like it was generated by a machine.
5. Be compliant
Make sure you comply with legal and regulatory SMS messaging compliance requirements in your country. If you send appointment reminders through Plivo’s Premium Communications Network, we’ll make sure you stay in compliance with rules about the volume of messages you send and allowed times of day. It’s your responsibility to stay compliant with message content. For example, in the US, to comply with HIPAA, you should avoid including any personally identifiable information or protected health information in the body of the reminder text. (That’s good advice no matter where you are.)
6. Ask for confirmation
How will you know your patient has seen your message? Provide a keyword they can use to confirm that they plan to come in. It can be as simple as “Reply Y to confirm or N to cancel.” You can also supply your phone number in case they have questions or need to reschedule.
7. Have a backup
If a patient doesn’t have a cellphone, or if you get a notification of an SMS delivery failure, you should be able to generate a voice reminder with the same information using machine-generated text-to-speech technology.
Here’s an example of a reminder message that touches all the bases.
Sam, your appointment with Dr. Adams is tomorrow at 11:45 at Adams Medical, 123 Main St, Springfield. Reply Y to confirm or N to cancel, or call us at 610-555-3456. Please bring your insurance card and a photo ID.
Benefits of patient and medical appointment reminders
Patient appointment reminders benefit health institutions and their clients alike.
Reminders help patients keep track of their appointments, reducing the chance of forgetting a check-up. Making sure patients make it to their appointment is critical for improving health outcomes, since these check-ups help patients stick to their treatment plans and give doctors greater visibility. SMS medical reminders also improve communication, keeping patients organized with pre-appointment information and instructions. Knowing they will receive a reminder can reduce anxiety associated with remembering appointments.
For healthcare providers, medical appointment reminders reduce no-shows, thereby helping use resources more efficiently and helping staff members better manage doctor and nurse schedules. Consistent appointment attendance leads to smoother patient flow and a more organized practice.
By reducing wasted appointment slots, reminders contribute to a more efficient healthcare system. Reducing no-shows and improving efficiency can lead to significant cost savings for the healthcare system as a whole.
How to write HIPAA-compliant appointment reminders
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) does permit medical providers to send medical appointment reminders. As long as treatment details are not in the text content, appointment reminders can be made without an authorization. This means appointment reminders are “opt-out” — you can send them to patients without getting permission. To protect patient privacy, it’s ideal to send messages over a secure network.
Here’s an example of a HIPAA-compliant appointment reminder.
Hello [Name], this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with [Doctor/Practice Name] on [Date and Time]. Please reply YES to confirm.
Key features of effective reminder tools
Medical appointment reminder tools are only useful if they work — meaning complex features, integrations, and steep learning curves can all make these tools not worth the effort. Here are a few key features to look for when assessing if a medical appointment reminder tool will alleviate admin for your team.
- Easy integrations: Look for a tool that integrates with your electronic health record (EHR) and calendar systems to automate reminders as much as possible.
- Multi-channel options: Platforms that allow you to send reminders via SMS, voice, WhatsApp, or email can help ensure patients receive updates on their preferred channel.
- Customizable templates: Look for reminder templates that include dynamic fields that incorporate client names and details from your EHR. Some templates can also be customized with branding and logos.
- User-friendly: Appointment reminders should be easy for patients and providers alike. Make sure your reminders are accessible to everyone — regardless of ability or tech fluency.
- Automated follow-ups: Look for tools that not only remind users of upcoming appointments but also of post-appoinntment next steps.
More advanced tools will include advancements such as:
- AI-driven reminders for predictive scheduling and personalization.
- Analytics to optimize timing and improve message effectiveness.
- Integration with patient portals and mobile apps for seamless communication.
Conclusion
These simple rules will ensure your reminder texts help patients keep the appointments they made. Sign up for Plivo — it’s free to try — and review our sample message notification code to get started.
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