Using SMS appointment reminder service for patients

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Hi all,

I was wondering how many of you currently use an SMS appointment reminder service to reduce no-shows in your practice?

Cheers,
Michael

 

I do.

10p per text message. Lets say we have 12 patients per day - £1.20 per day. I'm pretty sure that in 30 days I help to remind at least 1 person who otherwise may have forgotten their appointment. 30x£1.20 = cost of 1 podiatry treatment. I'm sure that it saves me more than that. Since I switched to SMS reminders, I have had a significant reduction in DNAs.

Robin

 

Hi Robin,

Thanks for your reply. I agree, SMS reminders is a great way to increase profits even if it prevents just a few no-shows per month.

Can you please advise on which company you use. I've been looking around for a good service to use, so far the one that looks the best is AppointmentSMS @ less than 9p per text message, and a nice looking web-based interface

Cheers,
Michael

 

I use practice pal for my whole patient management software this is just an integrated part of it. Great system and a lot for 25squids per month. Depends on the size of your practice whether it is required.

Robin

 

Good idea, I never thought of that. I call them the night before as a reminder.

Thanks
Debbie

 

I also use Practicepal.

I do not use their SMS service though. I do have free text facility as part of my mobile phone contract so those patients who require a reminder I make myself a note on the day prior to their appt. & text accordingly. I too have found this greatly reduces no shows.

Individually texting patients works well for me but I can appreciate in a multi chair clinic using the services of eg. Practicepal would be less time consuming.

Regards,

Mandy.

 

Yep, i guess individually texting patients from my phone would be cheaper.
I'm trying appointmentsms.com at the moment where I click to create the reminder on a calendar (with a pre-typed message) as each appointment is made, for 9p i prefer that option given the time it saves me (my practice management software doesn't have SMS functionality)

 

We use texmagic in our clinic. We find it has helped to prevent no-shows but on the other hand ppl tend to rely on getting a reminder. So the staff need to check at the end of day that the texts have gone out. I find ppl don't always take responsibility for the fact they have made an appointment and it's up to them.

 

Hi Jenny,

I had a look at the textmagic website, but can't find any mention of scheduling SMS reminders for the future. Is there a function for this? If not, how does your practice go about sending out the SMS's, if you don't mind me asking.

Cheers,
Michael

 

Great strategy. Recommend you back it up by discussing and offering the service before the patient leaves their last session. Get their permission. Even better, get permisison to phone recall them. Puts the action back in your hands.