SMS Reminders

Send SMS messages to patients.

Before you begin

If your network uses a proxy for Internet access, the SMS scheduler requires you to enter the proxy settings to send SMS messages. Ask your System Administrator for assistance.

Procedure

  1. Register for SMS - message transfer is managed by a third party, MessageNet, with whom you must register in order to send SMS messages. If you are a MedicalDirector Clinical user, and have already registered for SMS messaging from Clinical, you do not need to register again from MedicalDirector Pracsoft.
  2. Refresh Your Appointment Book. After successful registration, close and open all your Appointment Books again.
  3. Configure SMS templates. When sending SMS messages via the Appointment Book, you have multiple SMS message templates to base your message on:
    • Practice-wide Templates - accessible to all Appointment Books, and all practitioners.
    • Appointment-Book Specific Templates - limited to a specific Appointment Book, accessible to a specific practitioner.
  4. Configure the SMS Scheduler. SMS messages can be sent on-the-fly, but you can also schedule them to be sent later, after-hours, for example. This may suit you if traffic congestion is an issue at your practice.
  5. Send the SMS Reminder Messages. Send SMS messages to individual patients, a selection of patients, multiple patients in bulk lots (like doing a mail-merge, but via SMS), or to non-patient accounts.
  6. Track SMS Message Progress. SMS Logs allow you to track the success or failure of messages sent, and work with those messages that require intervention. The status of sent SMS messages is also displayed within the Appointment Book alongside the patient's appointment.

Results