Reaching Patients How They Want—Through Text Message

Do you screen some of the calls that come to your phone as an unrecognizable number? So do many of our patients. And when patients miss our calls, that can also lead to missed appointments.

While automated phone calls with customized voice message reminders have been helpful, we’ve taken our communications a step further by reaching our patients how they prefer to be reached—via text message.

"Our main goals with this new service are to reduce no-show rates, eliminate the stress of repeated routine phone calls and attract more patients," says Tom Miller, senior director of Ambulatory Services. "Using this preferred method of communication will improve the overall patient experience." 

Here’s how it works:

• A text message is sent five days prior to an appointment.  
• If the patient has also opted into reminder phone calls and there is no response to the initial text, then a phone call is sent two days prior to an appointment.  
• If the appointment is confirmed via text, then no phone call will be sent out. 
• A final text message is sent the day before the scheduled appointment.  

The initial rollout in early August included practice sites that are currently using Patient Prompt for reminders. Sites that are not using the software will have the opportunity to activate Patient Prompt within a few weeks.

In addition to texting appointment reminders, there are efforts underway to evaluate how text messaging can be used to enhance communications with patients in other situations, such as appointment navigation and health maintenance reminders.

For more information, contact Tom Miller, Ambulatory Services, at tmmiller2@carilionclinic.org.