SMS Reminders is a component of Clinical that allows you to send SMS messages to mobile phones. Message transfer is managed by MessageNet, with whom you must register in order to send SMS messages.

Registering SMS Reminders

Clinical uses a third-party SMS service to send SMS Appointment reminder messages and Clinical Recall reminder messages. In order to use this SMS functionality from within MedicalDirector Clinical, it is a requirement that you register your use of the service.

In light of COVID-19, the cost of SMS ePrescribing is currently being subsidised by the Government until at least the 31st March 2023. After this period, SMS costs will be passed onto practices – the price of which hasn’t been finalised yet as we work with suppliers to bring this cost down as much as possible. Use of email messages is free, as are paper tokens and paper prescriptions. We will advise you of the SMS price before charges become applicable.

The original SMS subsidy expiration date was 30th March 2021. To update your installation of Clinical to allow for the subsidy extension, please install the April 2021 MDref update available for download here.

Before You Begin

Ensure you have an active Internet connection. If your organisation uses a proxy server to connect to the Internet and this requires authentication, have these details ready. Please contact your System Administrator if required.

To top-up your SMS credits, please follow the instructions on the MessageNet website here.

 

SMS Recommendations

AVANT, Australia’s leading medical defence organisation (MDO) has provided very helpful tips for sending SMS messages;

Dos and don’ts of patient SMS communication

Recommendations when using SMS messaging

 

In Pracsoft and Clinical, doctors and practice staff can protect patient personal information when using text communication by taking a few simple steps.

Step 1: Obtain and Document Patient Consent

Step 2: Limit Information Contained in Text Messages

Step 3: Implement a System for Following-up Patients who do not Respond to Recall SMS Messages

Step 4: Document Text Messages in the Patient’s Medical Record

Please note that these are the recommendations that can be managed within the system, there are other steps mentioned in AVANT recommendations that may require manual steps outside the system.

Registering for Pracsoft Appointment Reminders or Clinical Recall Reminders

Select Correspondence > SMS > Setup. The Configure SMS Account Details window appears.

 

Within the General SMS section, click  The Register SMS Reminders prompt appears. Register your username and password. MessageNet recommends the following password requirements:

Lowercase Username (5 - 16 characters in length).

Characters can be alphanumeric and include Upper Case letters.

Special characters are not permitted.

 

Enter a new Username and Password and then click   The registration information you enter will be validated immediately, and if invalid you will be prompted accordingly.

Your Internet browser will open, and attempt to connect with the MessageNet web page for SMS registration.

 

Once you have completed the registration form, click Register Now & Start Messaging. You will be sent a verification e-mail to the e-mail address you entered within the registration form (above).

Once you have received the verification e-mail, return to Clinical, and click to verify and save your registration information.

 

Upon a successful verification you will be prompted accordingly.

Click to close the prompt.

On the Setup SMS Reminder window, click Close

Registering for Clinical SMS ePrescribing

In light of COVID-19, the cost of SMS ePrescribing is currently being subsidised by the Government until at least the March 31st 2023. After this period, SMS costs will be passed onto practices – the price of which hasn’t been finalised yet as we work with suppliers to bring this cost down as much as possible. Use of email messages is free, as are paper tokens and paper prescriptions. We will advise you of the SMS price before charges become applicable.

The original SMS subsidy expiration date was 30th March 2021. To update your installation of Clinical to allow for the subsidy extension, please install the April 2021 MDref update available for download here.

 

Select Correspondence > SMS > Setup. The Configure SMS Account Details window appears.

 

Tick the check box to agree to the MedicalDirector SMS post billing service.

 

Click to check your account status. If the Account Status does not read 'Normal', please contact MedicalDirector Customer Service for advice.

Configuring your Proxy in order to send SMS messages

Locate and double-click the MedicalDirector Maintenance icon on your desktop. The MedicalDirector Maintenance window appears.

Select the Maintenance Tasks > Common menu item.

Double-click


If this is the first time you have tried to run the Network Settings utility during this session of working in MedicalDirector Maintenance, you will be prompted to select a Configuration, and enter your Username and Password.

 

The Network Settings window appears. By default the Use Custom Settings... check box is un-ticked, and can remain so if you do not use a proxy server to access the Internet. However, if you do use a proxy server, tick the Use Custom Settings... check box, and then enter your server's details. Please consult your System Administrator if you require assistance with this.

 

 

Click to test your computer's connectivity, based on the settings you have provided. You will be prompted as to the success of the test.

Upon a successful connection, click OK to save the details and close the window.

Checking Your Auto-Renew Status

Select Correspondence > SMS > Setup. The Configure SMS Account Details window appears.

 

Click  Your web browser is opened, and you are directed to the MessageNet web site.

On the MessageNet web site locate and click account details.

 

Locate and click the Change my current rateplan link.

 

You will be redirected to the MedicalDirector section of MessageNet.

 

Click the Purchase link.




The Service Status page is displayed. Your Auto Top-Up settings are located at the bottom of this page.

Checking Your Remaining Credits

Select Correspondence > SMS > Setup. The Configure SMS Account Details window appears.

 

Click  A check is conducted - this may take a moment, after which your remaining credits are displayed in the window.

If you need to top-up your SMS credits, please follow the instructions on the MessageNet website here.