Appointment Reminder & Response Setup

Appointment Reminder & Response Setup

This is a Premium Add-On Feature. Contact your Account Manager for more information.
Appointment Reminders can be sent to your Patients by text, email, or voice. If you want the Patients to reply, the messages can be set up to be a two-way communication.

  • Patients can be Opted-In/Out during:
  • Existing Patients will preserve their Opted-In/Out status until their Demographic Information is manually updated.


Add an Appointment Reminder

  1. Select the Reminder Tab in Schedule Setup or the Reminder Setup button on the Scheduling Dashboard.

    OR

        

  1. To Add a new Appointment Reminder, select the Add button.
  • For an existing Appointment Reminder, select the Edit icon.

    

  1. Copy Reminder: If you want to Copy an existing Reminder for a similar setup, select it from the dropdown.
  2. Description: Enter a Description for the Reminder.
  3. Active: The checkbox is selected by default.
  4. Reminder Criteria: Use Filters that are applicable.
  • Appointment Status is mandatory.
  1. Reminders: Select the Add button to access the Appointment Reminder Delivery screen.


Delivery Panel

  1. Select the Delivery Timing from the dropdown.
  • Period of Time: Specify a period of time to send the Reminders Before or After an Appointment.
  • Example: Send a Reminder 24 hours before the Appointment.
  • Specific Day: Specify a specific day and time to send the Reminder before the Appointment Date.
  • Recommended for practices that do not want to send Reminders over the weekend, or want to control which day to send them on.
  1. #: Enter the number of minutes/hours/days/weeks that correspond to the subsequent delivery selections.
  2. Minutes, Hours, Days, or Weeks Dropdown:
  • When Minutes or Hours are selected, reminders will be delivered relative to the actual appointment time.
  • Example: 2 Hours before the Appointment.
  • When Days or Weeks are selected, the Reminders will be sent the specified number of Days or Weeks before the Appointment.
  1. Before Appointment/After Appointment Dropdown:
  • The Reminder will be delivered by the specified date and time before or after the Appointment.
  1. At Time:
  • The Reminder will be delivered at the At Time specified.
  • If At Time is left blank, the Reminders will be delivered at the scheduled Appointment time on the day specified.
  • Example:
  • Appointment Date: 09/26 at 2:00 PM
  • The Reminder is set to be sent 2 days before the Appointment Date.
  • The At Time is blank.
  • The Reminder will be sent on 09/24 at 2:00 PM.


Delivery Preference Panel

  1. Delivery Preference: Select the checkbox for how you want to deliver the Reminder.
  • More than one can be selected.
  • A new panel will be added for each selection.

Messages

  • When creating a message there is an HTML Editor provided for those that do not have HTML knowledge.
  • The Text Editor can be used by those who know HTML code.


Text Panel

  1. Text Messages that have been previously created are visible in the dropdown.
  • Select an existing template or select Manage to create a new Message.
  • Templates for Text Reminders are typically limited to a 160 character limit due to overage charges beyond the first page of a text.
  • This limitation depends on the cell phone provider.


Email Panel

  • Email: Select an existing Email Message or create a new Email Message by selecting Manage from the dropdown.
  • Emails can be formatted as desired.


Voice Panel

Voice: Select an existing template or select Manage to create a new Voice Message.

  • Voice reminders are generated using Text-to-Voice technology.
  • Enter the text of the message, and the message will be 'read' in the Language and Voice you choose in the Message Template.
  • You will also choose what prompts are given.
  • Example: Press 1 to confirm and what Response they hear when they choose a prompt.


Select Save [F2].


Add an Reminder Text Message

  1. From Scheduling on the Left Side Menu, select the Reminder Setup button.

    

  1. Select the Message Templates button.
  2. Select the Add button.

  1. Enter a Description.
  2. Delivery Type: Select Text.
  3. Active: The checkbox is selected by default.
  4. Copy: If applicable, select a Template to copy and modify.
  5. Build your Text Message.
  • Add fields, such as the patient's name and appointment date and time from the Mappable Fields panel.
  • Left click the Copy icon beside the field that you want to add to the Text Message.
  • Place your cursor in the Text Editor Panel where you want the field.
  • Right click and select paste or use your keyboard to select Ctrl V.
  • Example Text Message:

$(patient.full_name),

You have an appointment on $(appointment.date) at $(appointment.start_time). If you cannot make this appointment, please call the office at 555-555-5555 to cancel or reschedule.

  1. Select Save [F2].


Add a Text Response

The Patient will not receive an error message if they enter an invalid response.

This feature allows you to create responses that Patients can use to reply to a Reminder to Confirm, Cancel, or Opt-Out.


Access the Text Responses Panel at the bottom of the Add/Modify Message Template screen. (Scheduling > Reminder Setup button > Message Templates button > choose the Edit icon to the left of the Template.)

  1. On the Appointment Reminder Sets screen, select the Edit Icon for the Reminder to use.

    

  1. On the Add/Modify Appointment Reminder Set screen, select the Edit icon on an existing Reminder.

    

  1. On the Add/Modify Reminder Delivery screen, select the Edit icon on the Text Message.

    

  1. Select the Manage from the Responses dropdown.

    

  1. Enter a Description.
  2. Enter the Patient Responses. This is a multi-select field. Users can input multiple Patient Responses to account for User error.
  • For example: you can enter Y, Yes, Ye, and Confirm. If the patient responds with any of these, the Appointment Status will be updated.
  1. Status Update: Select from the Status Update dropdown the Appointment should be updated to for the Patient Response.
  • For the example above, you would select Confirmed.
  1. Practice Response: Enter a response to the Patient.
  2. Select Save [F2].

    


Add an Opt-Out Patient Response

You must enter an Opt-Out Patient Response for the Patient to use if they do not want to receive future Reminder Messages.

  • Set up the same as above and select the Opt-Out checkbox.

  • When a Reminder is received by the Patient, they will have the option to opt-out of future Reminders.

  • If the Patient responds with a valid response to "Opt-Out," they will no longer receive Reminder Messages.

  • This changes the Appointment Reminder option on the Patient Dashboard to "Opt-Out."

    • If the Patient changes their mind later, the Opt-In/Out-Out feature must be changed on the Modify Patient screen on the Patient Dashboard.

    

Appointment Reminders - Undelivered

The Appointment Reminders - Undelivered panel provides an overview of all Reminders that were not delivered.

  • Scheduling > Appointment Reminders - Undelivered
  1. Hover over the Error Status to view the Error Message.
  2. Select the Edit icon to correct the Patient/Guarantor Contact Information.
  3. Select Reminder History to view ALL Appointment Reminders.


Learn More

Opt-out of Appointment Reminders on the Patient Dashboard


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