Sending Messages - Overview

SMS was designed to be able to forward short messages via the mobile phone network and is very effective when used correctly. The MedicalDirector Messaging Service currently defaults to 160 characters for each message. Practices need to be aware that sending long messages will result in messages being truncated if longer than 160 characters. Examples for different messages that can be used are as follows.

Scheduled Appointment Reminder:

[Patient Given Name], confirming your appointment with [Practitioner Name] for [Date and Time] at [Appointment Location] (if required). Please contact the surgery if this appt is not suitable.

Message to single recipient from Appointment Book:

Mary, confirming your appt with Dr Bowers Mar29@10.30. Please contact surgery if this is not suitable.

Message to multiple recipients from Appointment Book:

Please note that the surgery will not be open on Mar30. Please contact to make other arrangements.

Single Message from within Patient Details:

John, doctor is running 1 hour late, please come in at 11.30.

Andrew, doctor is ready to see you now, can you come back in please?

Single Message from SMS menu:

Mary, John is ready to be collected. Please come directly to Reception to get the prescriptions filled!

With SMS Reminders you can send customised messages at any time, or send a standard (default) message, both of which are explained following. The default message that comes with SMS Reminders is "[PatGiven], you have an appointment with [PractName] on [ApptDate] at [ApptTime]". Note that as messages are sent via a third-party SMS service provider, you must have active internet access to send messages.

  • You can send messages via these means:
    • From the Bluechip main window select SMS > Send Single SMS Message.
    • Selecting an appointment in the Appointment Book, and clicking the SMS button.
    • In the Appointment Book, clicking the SMS button and selecting the option to send a bulk SMS.
    • Right-clicking an appointment and selecting Send SMS from the menu.
    • Clicking the F3 – SMS Reminders button in the Patient Details window of a patient file.
  • If the recipient's mobile number is invalid, you will be prompted to enter a valid number.
  • If you have not added a mobile number into the patient's record, you will be prompted to do so upon attempting to send a message (i.e. the recipient's mobile number field cannot be blank).
  • You cannot send messages to patients who have opted-out of the SMS functionality. Upon attempting to send messages to such patients you will be prompted to contact the patient by other means.

To Send Messages via SMS Reminders

Either:

From the Bluechip main screen select SMS > Send Single SMS Message

Select an appointment in the Appointment Book, and click SMS

Right-click an appointment and select Send SMS from the menu

Click in the Patient Details window of a patient file.

The SMS Message window appears.

Create your SMS Message, by either:

Selecting which message template you wish to base this SMS on. Message templates are created via SMS Messages Setup, or

Creating a new message by editing the content within the SMS Message window.

By right-clicking in the message body you can access a menu of merge fields that you can then insert into your message at the insertion point. These field codes act as place holders for information, and will be replaced automatically when you send the message.

For example, if you enter the field code [PatName], this will insert the name of the patient for whom you are creating the message. See SMS Reminders (Merge Fields) for more information.

Note that you must click where you want to place the merge field, before right-clicking and selecting it, to ensure that the field is inserted in the correct place.

 

Enter the mobile phone number to which you want to send the message.

If an ad-hoc message is being created from a patient's details or the Appointment Book, you cannot edit the mobile phone number, as it is sourced from the patient's record.

 

Click when you are ready to send your message.

Click (preview) button at the top-left of the SMS Reminders Setup window to preview your standard message.

Click (revert) button to revert the text you've entered to the default SMS Reminders message, which is "[PatGiven], you have an appointment with [PractName] on [ApptDate] at [ApptTime]".