doctor visit reminder

Get the newsletter

Insights for those starting, managing, and growing independent healthcare practices

Get expert tips, guides, and valuable insights for your medical practice

November 20, 2023

Patient Experience

Patient Scheduling

9 patient appointment reminder templates that work

Use these tried-and-true appointment reminder templates to keep your schedule full, reduce no-shows, and elevate the patient experience.

Most Popular

At a glance.

• Appointment reminders via phone, email, and text message can significantly reduce no-shows and late cancellations.
• Reminders should include appointment details and instructions for rescheduling or cancelling.
• Schedule reminders to be sent in a reasonable cadence such as 3 days before, 1 day before, and day-of the appointment.
• When selecting an automated reminder system, look for customization of reminders, multi-channel communication, two-way engagement with patients, demographic appropriateness, and easy appointment confirmation options.

No one likes an appointment no-show. Not only is it frustrating for your providers, but consistent late arrivals or missed appointments can significantly impair your practice performance, patient experience, and, of course — profitability.

A tried-and-true solution for minimizing no-shows and late arrivals? Automatic appointment reminders .

Tebra’s recent survey found that 79% of medical providers used appointment reminders to reduce no-shows . 

If you’re looking to start using automated reminders or want to give your existing messages a refresh, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up some easily adjustable patient appointment reminder templates for phone, email, and text to help your patients stay on top of their scheduled appointments.

What makes a great patient appointment reminder?

So, how do you remind patients of appointments? Sending appointment reminders can feel a bit like you’re pestering your patients. But in reality, medical appointments are often booked weeks, if not months, in advance. And with busy lives, things like medical appointments can sometimes fall off the radar. Providing reminders gives your patients another opportunity to ensure they make it to their appointments on time.

When sent at a reasonable cadence — such as 3 days prior, the day before, and the day of — most patients actually appreciate the reminders. Plus, they help you keep your calendar full while retaining patients , a win-win.

There are many ways to send reminders, such as by phone, email, or text, but with any channel, here are some essential details to include:

• Name of your practice
• Name of the provider (where applicable)
• Date and time of the appointment
• Type of appointment (where applicable)
• Location or address
• How to confirm, cancel, or reschedule the appointment

Tip: Use a mix of phone, email, and text messaging reminders to make sure that your patients get the reminders they need without overwhelming them. You may also want to consider an opportunity for patients to confirm their appointment at any of these touchpoints so they can opt out of receiving additional reminders.

Automated patient reminder call scripts

Phone calls are one of the oldest tricks in the book for appointment reminders. In years past, practices would often have administrative staff who were responsible for calling patients to confirm their appointments. 

While some practices still opt for the more personal or manual approach, you can now easily automate your reminder phone calls based on your appointment schedule.

“ You can now easily automate your reminder phone calls based on your appointment schedule.  ”

Here are some simple scripts you can use for your automated patient reminder calls.

3 days before an appointment

By calling a few days prior to a scheduled appointment, your call can serve as both a reminder of the appointment and of your cancellation policy. This way, if there does happen to be a conflict, your practice has the time to make appropriate arrangements. 

Hi [PATIENT],

This is [PRACTICE NAME] calling to remind you of your upcoming appointment with [PROVIDER] at [TIME] ON [DATE].

If you’re no longer able to make this appointment, please call us back at [PHONE NUMBER] at least 24 hours before your appointment, and we’d be happy to help you reschedule. 

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you then.

The day before an appointment 

Many individuals take the time to plan their next day’s schedule. So, a reminder the day before can help ensure the appointment stays on your patient’s radar. Take this opportunity to remind them of anything they need to know about their appointment — for example, parking or any other details.

This is [PRACTICE NAME] calling to confirm your appointment for [SERVICE] with [PROVIDER] tomorrow at [TIME].

We recommend arriving 15 minutes ahead of your appointment so you have time to park and fill out any paperwork needed.

If you have any questions, please give us a call at [PHONE NUMBER].

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

The day of an appointment 

A reminder on the day of an appointment can be a helpful last-minute reminder for patients who tend to run behind.

This is [PRACTICE NAME] calling to remind you of your appointment with [PROVIDER] today at [TIME].

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you later today.

While phone calls are a great way to communicate with patients, phone call reminders can be a bit tricky. As most of us get inundated with spam calls, it can be difficult to reach patients over the phone.

In fact, a Pew Research study found that 67% of Americans don’t answer their phone to unknown callers. However, most still tend to check their voicemails, so it’s best to leave a message if your call isn’t answered.

“ According to a study, 67% of Americans don’t answer their phone to unknown callers.  ”

If you’re finding that your phone calls and voicemails are going ignored, it’s worth incorporating other types of appointment reminders, such as emails and text messages, to your reminder cadence.

Templates for automated reminder emails for appointments

Emails have become a standard form of communication between patients and practices. Most individuals have an email address that they check regularly, whether it’s for personal or business matters.

Automated emails are a wonderful way to remind patients of their appointments. It can feel less intrusive than a phone call, and it’s easy to include any important details in writing or link to resources, like online patient education on what to do or avoid before light surgery. 

So, how do you email a friendly appointment reminder? Here are 3 simple templates for automated reminder emails for appointments.

As an appointment date approaches, you can send a simple email reminding your patient of the details. 

Similar to the phone call, you can provide an option for rescheduling online or canceling their appointment. This way, patients know they are expected to communicate schedule changes rather than skipping appointments altogether.

Subject: Your appointment is coming up.

This is a friendly reminder of your upcoming appointment on [DATE] at [TIME] with [PROVIDER].

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please click here [LINK] or contact our office at [PHONE] or [EMAIL], and we’d be happy to help.

[PRACTICE NAME]

The day before an appointment with a confirmation request

The day before an appointment, you can send a reminder with a request to confirm. 

“ Including a confirmation option in your automated reminder emails is helpful.  ”

Including a confirmation option in your automated reminder emails for appointments is an easy way to ensure that a reminder has been received and that your patient is still planning to attend.

Subject: REMINDER: Appointment tomorrow

It’s almost time for your appointment:

[DATE] at [TIME]

With [PROVIDER]

Please confirm your appointment here: [LINK]

If you have any other questions, please contact us at [EMAIL] or [PHONE].

The day of an appointment

A quick last-minute reminder is helpful for busy patients. At this point, they should be aware of their upcoming appointment, but a little nudge can go a long way in ensuring they arrive on time.

Subject: Appointment with [PROVIDER] in 2 hours

Your appointment with [PROVIDER] is in 2 hours at [TIME].

Please arrive 5-10 minutes ahead of your appointment to fill out your intake form.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Automated SMS reminder templates

Some practice managers wonder, can you text patients appointment reminders? Emails are a great form of patient-practice communication, but with the average office worker receiving upward of 100 emails a day , things can often get lost in the shuffle. This is why text message reminders — also known as automated SMS reminders — have quickly become a popular method of communication between practices and their patients. 

“ With SMS open rates as high as 98%, text message reminders are quick, simple, and almost guaranteed to be read.  ”

In the modern world, smartphones usually aren’t far away, and many people check their phones more often than they'd like to admit — an average of 144 times a day , to be exact. So, with SMS open rates as high as 98% , text message reminders are quick, simple, and almost guaranteed to be read.

The only catch with text messages is that they're short. Your message will need to be concise and get the information across in a few short sentences. Here are some templates you can use to send automatic text reminders.

In the days leading up to an appointment, send a text message with all the details regarding the upcoming appointment. If your text messaging app allows patients to text back, it’s the perfect time to let them know they can do that.

Hi [PATIENT], you have an upcoming appointment with [PROVIDER] on [DATE] at [TIME]. Our address is [ADDRESS].

Reply to this text or call [PHONE] for any changes.

Text messages are a great way to confirm appointments. You can include links in your automated reminder message so patients can let you know they’re coming in just a few taps. Some text confirmation systems even allow patients to confirm by replying with a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’

Reminder: You have an appointment tomorrow at [TIME] with [PROVIDER].

Please confirm or reschedule your appointment here: [LINK]

A quick reminder text a few hours beforehand is a polite way to ensure your patients don’t accidentally miss their appointment.

Your appointment with [PROVIDER] is in 2 hours at [TIME] today. We look forward to seeing you soon. Thanks, [PRACTICE NAME]

Choosing an automatic appointment reminder system

Now that you know what to send in an appointment reminder, the question becomes: How do you send it?

“ Automated appointment reminder systems connect directly to your upcoming patient schedule.  ”

Automated appointment reminder systems connect directly to your upcoming patient schedule. Based on your selected cadence or reminder schedule, the system will automatically send reminders to patients with the details they need. Not only is it effective at reducing no-shows, but it minimizes the need for practice staff to individually call or send a message to every single patient.

When searching for your next automated appointment reminder system , here are some features to look for: 

1. Customized reminder cadence

While sending reminders up to 3 days prior is common, it might not be the right fit for your patients and your practice. Your automated appointment reminder system should let you select a reminder cadence that works best for you. 

2. Different communication channels 

There are many great messaging apps out there, but many specialize in one form of communication, such as email or phone calls. However, all patients are different — some will prefer a phone call, while others prefer a text message. Having a platform that allows patients and your practice to choose their preferred method of communication will improve the experience for everyone.

3. Two-way communication  

An effective automated appointment reminder system should allow patients to easily engage with your practice. For example, if you’re sending text reminders, it’s best to allow patients to text back. Otherwise, messages might get lost, or your patients can get frustrated.

4. Your patient demographic

Certain groups may be more receptive to certain types of reminders. For example, older adults or those with limited literacy may prefer a phone call reminder. So, if you choose a system that only allows for SMS and email, you may find yourself in a bind.

5. Automated appointment confirmation system

Sometimes, appointment reminders can feel like they’re being sent into the dark abyss. While you don’t need a reply for every reminder, having an appointment confirmation system makes it easy for patients to confirm their attendance. This way, you know your reminders are going through, and you know exactly who’s planning on coming.

Put appointment no-shows in the past

See how Tebra’s automatic appointment reminders can help you spend less time battling missed appointments and more time scaling your practice. Learn more .

Further Reading

You Might Also Be Interested In

Learn how to create a seamless patient experience that increases loyalty and reduces churn, while providing personalized care that drives practice growth in Tebra’s free guide to optimizing your practice.

Subscribe to The Intake: A weekly check-up for your independent practice

Amanda Li, senior copywriter and content strategist

Amanda Li is a senior copywriter and content strategist. With a diverse background in industries ranging from healthcare to legal tech, she brings a unique perspective to creating content that makes an impact for both organizations and their audiences. Amanda believes that independent practices bring a much-needed level of individualization to the healthcare industry. As someone who understands how important — yet stressful — obtaining healthcare can be, she is an advocate for creating more accessible and positive healthcare experiences for patients.

Reviewed by

Lauren Wheeler, BCPA, MD

Dr. Lauren Wheeler, MD, BCPA, is a former family medicine physician who currently works as an independent healthcare advocate as well as a medical editor and writer. You can get in touch with her about anything writing or advocacy at her website www.lostcoastadvocacy.com .

Suggested for you

How to calculate patient no-show rate

Patient scheduling opportunities your medical practice is missing

Tips and Trends

Fun ways to ensure patients love your waiting room

Patient Care

How to respond to 3 difficult patient scenarios (with talking scripts)

Get expert tips, guides, and valuable insights for your healthcare practice, subscribe to the intake.

A weekly check-up for your independent practice — right in your inbox

27 doctor appointment text message samples to cut no-shows

Patient no shows affect even the best-run medical practices. These missed appointments not only cost providers revenue and time but also negatively impact patient care.

While there are many reasons patients miss appointments, the most commonly cited is forgetfulness . That’s where medical appointment reminder text messages come into play. Text message reminders are an effective solution to reduce no-show rates. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of SMS reminders, tips for improving text outreach, and share 27 customizable doctor appointment text message samples.

Go right to:

• The impact of no-shows
• How SMS can help cut no-shows
• 27 doctor appointment text templates
• 9 tips for helpful medical appointment reminder texts

<h2 id="impact">The impact of no-shows</h2>

Missed patient appointments are a major headache for medical professionals. Not only do no-shows create patient care gaps, but they also result in missed revenue for providers.

Research suggests that no-shows cost the U.S. healthcare industry $150 billion yearly and that even one no-show can result in higher attrition and poorer patient health outcomes.

<h2 id="smshelp">How can SMS help medical practices reduce no-shows</h2>

Text reminders are an effective way to cut no-shows. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why. 

• High open rate. Text messages are opened and read. In fact, the average open rate is 98 percent. This is almost five times higher than email.
• Strong response rate. SMS messages have a high response rate of 45 percent. This is nearly eight times higher than email. Plus, fewer people answer phone calls than read and respond to texts.
• Accessible. 97 percent of Americans own a cellphone capable of receiving and sending text messages. This makes it an accessible means of communicating important updates to patients.
• Patients want to text. Consumers want text message reminders and two-way communication with healthcare providers. In fact, 73 percent of consumers prefer texting to other modes of communication.
• Refrenceable . Unless patients delete a text message, it is stored on their phones to reference at any time. This can help them keep appointment information accessible.
• Immediate delivery. Most text messages are read within five minutes of receipt. This ensures that you’re delivering appointment reminder texts at the optimal time.
• Convenient . Texting is a convenient tool because it lets people reply wherever they are when they have time.

Need more reasons? Check out these 51 stats that undeniably prove the power of business texting .

<h2 id="templates">27 doctor appointment text message samples</h2>

Here are several doctor appointment reminder text templates to help your medical office get key information to patients, timely and effectively.

Confirming appointment texts

Use one of these text message templates to confirm upcoming appointments with patients. These will help your medical practice know your text reminder was read.

Hi [name]. This is [medical facility]. Your appointment is [date] at [time]. Please confirm within [X] hours, or it will be canceled. 

Hi [name]. Your appointment at [medical facility] is [date] at [time]. Please confirm by responding YES. To reschedule, reply RESCHEDULE.

Hi [name]. You have an appointment scheduled with [doctor name] on [date] at [time]. Reply C to confirm, or call/text us to reschedule.

Hi [name]! You have an appointment with [medical facility] on [date] at [time]. Call [phone number] with questions. Reply C to confirm. 

Hi [name]. Your appointment with [doctor name] is confirmed for [date] at [time]. To cancel or reschedule, please reply to this text.

Get more appointment confirmation text templates 📅

Follow-up appointment confirmation

If patients don’t confirm their appointment, use one of these follow-up text templates to encourage a reply.

Hi [name]. Please confirm your appointment with [doctor name] on [date] at [time]. If you don’t, the appointment will be canceled.

Hi [name]. Please confirm within [X hours] if you can make your appointment with [doctor name]. To reschedule, call us at [phone number].

Schedule appointment reminder

Use a text to remind patients to schedule an appointment. Providers commonly use these for routine medical services or follow-up visits with doctors.

[Medical facility]: Time flies! It’s time for your annual check-up 🩺 Want to schedule yours today? Just reply or head to this link to book online: [link]

[Medical facility]: Our records show you’re due for [procedure]. Schedule an appointment online: [link] ‍ Hi [name]. This is a reminder to schedule your follow-up visit with [doctor name]. Please call us at [phone number] or reply to see openings for this month.

Friendly reminders

Use one of these text templates to remind patients about upcoming appointments gently. Use these for reminders, not for confirmations.

Hi [name]. This is a friendly reminder of your appointment with [doctor name] on [date] at [time]. Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in. 

Hi [name]. Your appointment with [doctor name] is tomorrow at [time]. See you then!

Hi [name]. Don’t forget! Your appointment with [doctor name] is [date] at [time]. See you then!

Day-of appointment reminders

Use one of these medical appointment reminder text message samples to remind patients about the time of their appointments that day.

Hi [name]! Your appointment with Dr. [last name] is today at [time]. See you soon!

Hi [name]. Quickly reminding you that your appointment with [doctor name] is today at [time]. We charge [amount] for missed appointments.

Hi [name]. See you shortly! Your appointment with [doctor name] is at [time] today. 

Get 70 appointment reminder text templates for more inspiration 🩺

Open appointment time

Use one of these text templates to fill open appointments when you have cancellations or new provider availability.

Hi [name]! This is [employee name] from [medical facility]. We have several open appointments this week and I wanted to see if you wanted to come in sooner.

Hi [name]. [Doctor name] has an open appointment for [date] at [time]. Are you interested in claiming this? Let me know!

Hi [name]. [Medical facility] has an open appointment on [date] at [time]. Let me know if you want to come in earlier!

Hi [name]. This is [medical facility]. We have an opening on [date] at [time]. Reply YES to accept or NO to pass it to the next patient on the waitlist.

Missed appointment follow-up

Use one of these text templates to follow up with patients after they miss an appointment. This can help you reschedule to ensure care continuity. 

Hi [name]. [Medical facility] missed you at your appointment today. Please call or text to reschedule.

We missed you today, [name] 😢 [Doctor name] with [medical facility] has some available appointments next week. Reschedule here [link].

Hi [name]. [Doctor name] missed you at your [time] appointment. Your care is important to us. Please call or text [phone number] to reschedule.

Appointment rescheduling request

Use one of these text message templates to ask patients to reschedule their appointments.

Hi [name]. You canceled your appointment with [doctor name] on [date]. Please reschedule by following this link [link]

Hi [name]. Unfortunately, we must change your appointment with [doctor name] on [date] and [time]. Can you reschedule to [date]? We have [X time] available.

Important appointment preparation reminder

Use a text template to remind patients about key information before their appointment. This could be a reminder to fill out paperwork or remind them about essential appointment instructions.

Hi [name]! Please remember to complete this questionnaire before visiting [doctor name]. [link]

Hi [name.] This is a friendly reminder from [doctor name] — please no eating or drinking for 24 hours before your appointment.

Hi [name]. Please remember to do [X] ahead of your appointment. Thank you, - Care Team from [medical facility] 💡Need additional ideas? Explore 10 ways healthcare facilities can use SMS

<h2 id="tips">9 best practices and tips for helpful medical appointment reminder texts</h2>

Remember these tips and best practices when crafting and sending appointment reminder messages.

• Obtain consent from patients. To comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, medical providers must get permission from patients to text them. This consent, called an SMS opt-in , must be given before you send a text message.
• Ensure HIPAA compliance. When communicating any protected health information,  providers must be careful. It’s no different when using SMS. Texting can be HIPAA compliant when using the proper controls. This includes using a HIPAA-compliant SMS platform and having administrative policies in place for the communication channel.
• Sync SMS with other channels. You want to sync business texting with other communication channels like phone and email. For example, you can text-enable your landline phone number to make it easy for patients to reach out in their preferred method. It’s also helpful to sync it to other channels like email, an online scheduling system, or electronic health record .
• Ensure the right timing. The timing and frequency of your appointment reminder texts matter. You want to ensure that patients get your reminder text close enough to the appointment date. But you also want to ensure it’s far enough in advance for customers to reschedule before breaking your policy.
• Ensure the right frequency. The proper cadence for your medical practice may look different from your competitors. A singular reminder may be enough for some, while others may need several reminders. Test out different frequencies to find the best fit.
• Personalize messages . When texting, it’s important to personalize the message. It will help patients feel more connected and comfortable. Even just adding a patient's name helps personalize appointment reminders.
• Keep messages concise. When writing effective appointment reminders, keep them short and straight to the point. Indicate key details patients need to know, like the date and time of the appointment. Plus, you’ll want to introduce yourself and clarify who is texting.
• Automate reminders. Many SMS platforms can help you automate or schedule appointment reminders to send in advance. This can help your practice save time and effort while ensuring texts get sent at the right time.
• Get a plan in place to handle responses. Chances are, patients will reply to your texts. Make sure you have a plan to address these replies by determining who’s responsible for responding, if you want to set up an automated response, and how quickly you’ll respond.

Curious about using texting in your medical practice? Check out the pros, cons, and additional best practices 👩‍⚕️

Meet Textline, a HIPAA-compliant SMS platform 

Textline is a fully HIPAA-compliant SMS platform that helps healthcare entities take advantage of the ease, efficacy, and convenience of texting. The best part is that your customers don’t need to download a separate app. Instead, they get HIPAA-compliant SMS messages sent to their mobile devices, which helps you reduce no-shows.

Textline, which has earned a patent for its HIPAA-consent process, is packed with security features like encryption, sensitive data redaction, administrative controls, and more. 

Book a demo with our expert team today to see Textline’s HIPAA-compliant platform in action.

Start texting now

Earn commission for referrals, recommended reading, promotional sms: a detailed explainer.

Get everything you need to know about promotional SMS, including what it is, best use cases, and tips to make it a revenue driver for your business.

Transactional SMS: Definition, uses, and tips

Get our ultimate business guide to transactional SMS. You’ll learn what it is, how it differs from SMS marketing, and see real-world examples.

71 SMS templates for healthcare professionals

Do you want to use SMS to communicate faster with patients and staff? Here are 71 customizable SMS templates for healthcare professionals for inspiration.

App Overview

Integrations, platform solutions, plans & pricing.

Interested in partnering with Updox? Here’s how you can get started today.

Build lasting connections to retain patients and improve health outcomes

See more patients, reduce revenue leaks, and improve your profitability

Grow your business and never worry about outgrowing our platform

Updox Platform Overview

Learn how our unified communications platform can support your practice

or Explore By Updox Product

Unified Communications

Send and receive faxes through a HIPAA-compliant platform with an audit trail

Send documents and exchange private or group messages in a HIPAA-compliant inbox

Patient Engagement

Increase patient access to care with secure virtual visits  

Empower patients to view test results, make appointments, pay bills, and more 

Prevent no-shows and late cancellations with text, email or phone call reminders 

Capture patient information quickly and easily without piles of paperwork  

Message all the patients at once or in groups based on demographics or diagnosis 

Communicate with patients securely and conveniently without all phone calls 

Charge Capture

Charge Capture Platform

Reduce lost revenue while increasing practice productivity

• Schedule Demo

Build lasting connections to retain patients and improve health outcomes.

• Updox Login
• Charge Capture Login
• Schedule A Demo

6 minute read

Patient Appointment Reminder Text Message Samples & Tips

Updox Content Writer

Engage Patients

Appointment Reminder Texts: 22 Example Messages  

Patient appointment reminders reduce missed appointments by an average of 29% . Missed doctor’s appointments cost the medical industry an estimated $150 billion per year, and are a steady source of frustration for medical offices both small and large… which is why roughly nine out of ten medical groups make use of automated appointment reminders . To help you implement automated medical appointment reminders to cut down on no-shows, improve cash flow, and keep your practice running efficiently, here are templates and samples of text reminders to use at your practice.  

22 Appointment Reminder Text Samples  

Using an automated appointment reminder solution is one thing, but finding the right things to say is another matter entirely.

We’ve put together the following list of templated responses to make it easy to fill out your automated appointment reminders copy/paste the text message that resonates with you, update the variables to fit your system, and away you go. We’ve even categorized the messages to fit into your appointment reminder strategy!  

Sample Appointment Reminders 1 Week Away 

We suggest sending your first automated reminder one week before the scheduled medical appointment. We’ve included a mix of reminders with and without confirmation messages . Some practices might not be comfortable (or capable, depending on your practice management software) of confirming an appointment this far in advance. 

Here are some reminders you can use for 1 week before the appointment: 

• Hello <Name>, this is a reminder for your appointment next week with <Doctor/Practice Name> on <Date and Time>. 
• Hello <Name>, this is a reminder for your appointment next week with <Doctor/Practice Name> on <Date and Time>. Please reply YES to confirm.  
• Hello <Name>, this is a reminder for your appointment next week with <Doctor/Practice Name> on <Date and Time>. Please give us a call if you need to reschedule! 
• Hi <Name>! Don’t forget your appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> is coming up in 1 week! 
• Hi <Name>! Don’t forget your appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> is coming up in 1 week! Please reply YES to confirm. 
• Hi <Name>! Don’t forget your appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> is coming up in 1 week! Please give us a call if you need to reschedule! 

Sample Appointment Reminders 3 Days Away 

Whether or not you use a reminder a week ahead of time, we suggest sending a reminder three days out from the appointment. This is the optimal time for collecting confirmations, and it gives you plenty of time to find a replacement appointment should your patient need to reschedule. 

• Hello <Name>, this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> on <Date and Time>. 
• Hello <Name>, this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> on <Date and Time>. Please reply YES to confirm.  
• Hello <Name>, this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> on <Date and Time>. Please give us a call if you need to reschedule! 
• Hi <Name>! Don’t forget your appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> is just a few days away! 
• Hi <Name>! Don’t forget your appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> is just a few days away! Please reply YES to confirm. 
• Hi <Name>! Don’t forget your appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> is just a few days away! Please give us a call if you need to reschedule! 

Sample Appointment Reminders Day Of Appointment

While it may seem like overkill to send a reminder on the day of an appointment, it can actually be a great way to cut down on unexpected no-shows. Not everyone keeps a watchful eye on their calendar, and with today’s busy schedules it’s easy to forget about things even things as important as a medical appointment.

We suggest sending this message approximately three hours ahead of the doctor’s appointment, although you may want to set specific rules to avoid messaging people too early in the morning no one wants to be woken up by an automated text message! 

• Hi <Name>, this is <Doctor Name>’s office we’re looking forward to seeing you today at <Time>! Please give us a call if you need to reschedule, otherwise we’ll see you soon! 
• Hello! Just a friendly reminder for today’s appointment with <Doctor Name> we’ll see you at <Time>. Don’t forget your insurance card! 
• Hi <Name>! We’re looking forward to seeing you today at <Time> at <Practice Name>. Please give us a call if you have any questions! 
• Good morning! This is just a reminder for your appointment with <Doctor/Practice Name> today at <Time>. Please give us a call if you have any questions, otherwise we’ll see you then! 
• This is <Doctor Name>’s office, reminding you of your appointment today at <Time>. 
• Don’t forget! You have an appointment today at <Practice Name> at <Time>. Please give us a call if you have any questions. 

Sample Text Reminders for Annual Exams 

Sending reminders for annual check-ups will help your patients stay on top of their healthcare routines, and these reminders can also be a great way to boost patient retention. You may even be able to win back patients who have gone to other providers. 

• It’s time for your annual check-up with <Doctor Name>! You can schedule an appointment by calling our office, or online at our patient portal: <Link to Patient Portal> 
• Hi <Name> This is a friendly reminder that you’re due for your annual exam with <Doctor Name>! Give us a call or visit our patient portal to schedule your appointment: <Link to Patient Portal> 
• Hi <Name>! This is <Doctor Name>’s office with an important reminder: it’s time for your annual check-up! Give us a call or visit our patient portal to schedule your appointment: <Link to Patient Portal> 
• Hi <Name>. This is an automatic reminder from <Practice Name>: you’re due for your annual exam on <date>. Please give us a call or visit our patient portal to schedule your appointment: <Link to Patient Portal> 

Automating Text Reminders for Appointments  

Managing all of these reminders can be a real chore… unless you have software that can automate the process for you . With the right software, you won’t have to think about sending reminders, they’ll be sent automatically on a predetermined schedule that’s triggered as soon as your patient schedules an appointment! 

One thing to keep in mind is the number of “touchpoints” for each patient how many reminders you’re sending for each visit. Too many reminders will annoy your patients, but too few reminders won’t help them remember their appointments. You may want to set up some simple if/then logic in your automated workflow if a patient confirms their appointment a week ahead of time, for example, then they don’t receive the reminder three days before their visit. 

As with anything else new to your practice, experimentation is key. Don’t be afraid to try new things as you find the right cadence of reminders to maximize benefits for your patients and your practice. 

Benefits of Automating Appointment Reminders

Practices who make use of an automated reminder system report the following benefits: 

• Reduced no-show rate, resulting in higher revenue 
• Improved patient engagement and higher retention rates 
• Better office efficiency, allowing staff more time to work on other projects 
• More doctor/patient communication 

If you’re ready to start using automated patient reminders or if your current messaging software has been letting you down no platform is more convenient to use than Updox !  

With Updox Patient Appointment Reminders , you can easily schedule automated reminders to help reduce no-shows and improve practice productivity .

As an added bonus, the comprehensive Updox messaging suite makes it easy to send secure, HIPAA-compliant text and SMS messages to communicate with your patients. You can quickly communicate with your entire client base, or segment them by age, ongoing treatments, and a multitude of other demographic information. 

Want to learn more? Talk to an Updox expert today: 

About the Author

We think you'll like these too..

Explore related resources and keep learning.

7 minute read

4 Digital Patient Engagement Tools Every Practice Needs 

Technology evolves fast, and the healthcare industry must advance along with it.  Today’s patients expect.... Read More

8 minute read

Gamification in Healthcare: Using Game Mechanics to Boost Patient Engagement 

Patient engagement is one of the largest contributors to your healthcare practice’s success. Research has shown that.... Read More

5 Modern Tools to Increase Productivity at Your Pharmacy 

No matter how much you may wish for it, you can’t add extra hours to.... Read More

Home » SMS marketing » 15 Essential Doctor Appointment Text Message Samples

15 Essential Doctor Appointment Text Message Samples

Text messaging has been gaining relevancy in the medical field for the past few years, and it has become one of the most efficient and habitual ways of communication between practitioners and patients. 

Forbes reported that 76% of consumers declare being more likely to read a message if it comes via SMS . In fact, the Covid-19 crisis has further accentuated the great potential of texting platforms for the healthcare industry and all actors involved.

Recent reports show patients’ increasing desire to automate and ease into a more convenient way of text-based communication since the pandemic hit, with 84% of customers surveyed looking forward to this automation . 

Sending texts can bring many benefits to this industry’s communication, such as being more direct, less intrusive, less time-consuming, and offering the possibility of even being automated, making it extra convenient for everyone involved. 

Efficient scheduling and reminders are crucial in healthcare management . A well-crafted message for doctor appointment not only streamlines the scheduling process but also enhances patient engagement and reduces no-shows.

In this guide, we explore various text message samples that effectively communicate appointment details, ensuring a smoother and more reliable healthcare experience for both practitioners and patients.

From sending appointment instructions, healthcare tips, promotional communications, or reminding patients of their upcoming appointments, this channel is a fantastic opportunity to reduce no-shows and scheduling mistakes, build trust with your clientele, and facilitate administrative tasks with less effort.

All of this, paired with the fact that 76% of people worldwide want to be reminded of their medical appointments and 71% are actively open to offers of relevant healthcare services , seems to point to a clear conclusion: text messaging is key to improving doctor-patient connections and boosting efficiency in the management of the healthcare system.

It’s crucial, however, to ensure you don’t forget to get consent from your patients before using their information for this purpose.

Before we explore the various templates for doctors appointment text messages, it’s essential to understand the impact of clear and concise communication.

These messages serve as a direct line to your patients, ensuring they are informed, prepared, and more likely to attend their scheduled appointments . In the next sections, you’ll find carefully crafted samples that embody the essence of effective communication.

If you are ready to begin using text messaging as a new way to improve your communication system, here are a few templates you can use:

📑 In this post you will find:

Appointment Confirmation Samples

[Medical Practice’s Name] informs:  Miss/Ms/Mr/ Mrs [Patient’s First Name], your appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name] on [Date] at [Time] has been confirmed.  To cancel or reschedule this appointment, reply to this message or contact us at [Contact Numer]. For general inquiries, text this number or visit our official website [Website link] for further information. Thank you for trusting [Medical Practice’s Name]. 

Appointment confirmation: Miss/Ms/Mr/ Mrs [Patient’s First Name], thank you for making an appointment with [Medical Practice’s Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please, arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled time for registration.

Appointment Follow-Up Message Samples

Hi [Patient’s First Name], We hope today’s appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name] was satisfactory. We always seek feedback from our patients to keep improving our service.  Would you be willing to help us by responding to a few questions about your experience?  If so, access our survey here [Link]. Thank you for trusting [Medical Practice’s Name]. 

Hi [Patient’s First Name], this is Dr. [Doctor’s Name] from [Medical Practice’s Name]. How have you been feeling since last week’s appointment? If you feel discomfort or have any concerns, don’t hesitate to text this number or contact us at [Contact Numer], and we’ll do our best to help. Best regards.

Appointment Reminder Samples

In today’s fast-paced world, ensuring that patients remember their upcoming medical appointments is more critical than ever . This is where the power of a well-crafted medical appointment reminder text message sample becomes evident.

By providing clear, concise, and timely reminders, healthcare practices can significantly reduce the rate of no-shows and improve the efficiency of their scheduling system. Let’s take a closer look at some effective examples of these reminders.

Hi [Patient’s First Name], This is [Medical Practice’s Name]. Just a friendly reminder that you have an upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please, arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled time for registration.  If you need to cancel or reschedule this appointment, you can reply to this message or contact us at [Contact Numer]. Thank you.

Reminder:  You have an upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name] on [Date] at [Time].  To cancel or change your appointment date, reply to this message with ‘Reschedule’ or ‘Cancel’ correspondingly, or contact us at [Contact Numer]. Thank you, [Medical Practice’s Name].

The effectiveness of a medical appointment reminder text message sample lies in its ability to convey essential information in a brief format while also offering an easy response mechanism for the recipient.

Crafting such messages with the patient’s convenience in mind not only enhances their experience but also fosters a stronger patient-practitioner relationship .

Alert Samples

[Medical Practice’s Name] informs:  Dear [Patient’s First Name], we’ve received your test results for [Test name/content].  Please reply ‘Schedule’ to this number or call us at [Contact Numer] to schedule your appointment. Thank you.

Hi [Patient’s First Name], This is [Medical Practice’s Name]. We have a new opening for an appointment available on [Date] at [Time].  Please reply to this message with ‘Schedule’ by [Time] today to accept this appointment. If this time is inconvenient for you, please reply ‘Reject’ to pass it to the following patient on the waiting list.  You will still remain the first on our waiting list for the following openings. Thank you, [Medical Practice’s Name].

[Medical Practice’s Name] informs:  Dear [Patient’s First Name], we’ve received your test results for Covid-19 PCR dated [Date] with the result: NEGATIVE/POSITIVE.  Please follow the following link for further recommendations [Link] or contact us with any questions.  If you need an official document with your results, please reply to this message with your email address.  Thank you, [Medical Practice’s Name].

Payment Reminder Samples

Dear [Patient’s First Name], This is [Medical Practice’s Name]. We kindly remind you that [$ Amount] is due for payment since [Due Date].  For more information, feel free to text this number or contact us at [Contact Numer], and we’ll do our best to assist you in resolving this matter. Thank you, [Medical Practice’s Name].

Reminder: Our records indicate that [$ Amount] has been awaiting payment since [Due Date]. Please reply to this number or contact us at [Contact Numer] for any questions regarding the matter. Thank you, [Medical Practice’s Name].

Covid-19 Protocol Samples

Dear [Patient’s First Name],  This is [Medical Practice’s Name]. Before your appointment with us on [Date], we wanted to remind you of our COVID-19 protocols: – All patients and practitioners must always wear a mask while on our premises.  – We will be taking all patients’ temperatures at the entrance. – Take a seat at least six ft. from the nearest person while in the waiting room; no more than ten people will be allowed in. Thank you for your cooperation, [Medical Practice’s Name].

Hi [Patient’s First Name], This is [Medical Practice’s Name]. Before your upcoming appointment with us on [Date], we wanted to give you a quick reminder to check our COVID-19 protocols on our website [Website]. Your safety is our priority. Thank you for your cooperation!

In light of the ongoing changes brought about by the pandemic, doctors appointment text messages have become more crucial than ever. They not only facilitate the seamless exchange of vital information but also ensure that both patients and healthcare providers remain aligned with the latest safety protocols and guidelines.

This adaptability underscores the importance of text messaging in maintaining the continuum of care during challenging times.

Healthcare Tips/ Promotion Samples

Hi [Patient’s First Name],  Did you know that Colon Cancer is one of the most preventable cancers?  75% of colon cancers could be avoided with regular screening from the age of 50 as well as developing other healthy behaviors. Are you up to date with your screenings?  Text [Medical Practice’s Name] to this number or contact us at [Contact Numer]  and schedule your next appointment with one of our experts!

According to the National Institute of Health, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Day-to-day changes in our lives, such as a more active lifestyle and better food choices, can prevent and lower the chances of premature death and improve your overall quality of life. Do you or any member of your family struggle with this problem?  Text [Medical Practice’s Name] to this number or contact us at [Contact Numer] and schedule an appointment with one of our medical experts for more information on what you can do to tackle this issue on time.

Follow-Up for Missed Appointments 

Utilize these text message examples to reach out to patients who missed their appointments. This approach helps in rescheduling and maintaining continuity of care.

• Hi [name], your absence was noted today at [medical facility name]. To reschedule, please call or send us a message.
• We missed you today, [name] 😢 [Doctor’s name] at [medical facility name] has openings next week. Reschedule here [link].
• Hello [name], [Doctor’s name] noticed your absence at your appointment today at [time]. Your health is important to us. Please call or text [phone number] to reschedule.

Essential Pre-Appointment Reminders 

These text message templates are designed to remind patients about crucial preparatory steps before their appointment. This can include reminders for completing forms or specific instructions related to their appointment.

• Hello [name]! Just a reminder to fill out the required questionnaire before your visit with [doctor’s name]. Here’s the link: [link].
• Greetings [name], this is a courtesy reminder from [doctor’s name] — please refrain from eating or drinking for 24 hours prior to your appointment.
• Hi [name], kindly ensure that you complete [specific requirement] before your upcoming appointment. Thanks, – Your Care Team at [medical facility name].

7 Key Strategies for Effective Medical Appointment Reminder Texts

When crafting appointment reminder texts, consider these essential strategies and best practices:

• Secure Patient Consent : Comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by obtaining explicit SMS opt-in from patients before initiating text communications.
• Maintain HIPAA Compliance : Protect health information in text messages. Use a HIPAA-compliant SMS platform and establish relevant policies for secure communication.
• Integrate with Multiple Channels : Ensure text messaging is aligned with other communication methods like phone and email. Consider text-enabling your landline and integrating with email, online scheduling systems, or electronic health records.
• Timing is Crucial : Schedule reminder texts to be timely and relevant, allowing patients enough notice to reschedule if needed.
• Tailor the Frequency : Find the right balance in the frequency of reminders. This might vary between patients, so testing different approaches can help identify the most effective strategy.
• Personalize Messages : Add a personal touch to texts, such as including the patient’s name, to foster a sense of connection and comfort.

Streamline with Automation : Utilize SMS platforms that offer automation or scheduling features for reminders, saving time and ensuring consistency in communication.

How much does it cost?

PERSONALIZED QUOTE

PURCHASE SUMMARY

COUNTRY Spain

No. of SMS 0

Total Price 0 €

Price for each SMS 0 €

For quantities of more than 10,000 SMS, get in touch with us and we’ll make you a great offer!

Business Development Manager at Instasent.

hector[@]instasent.com – linkedin

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Home » Resources » Doctor Appointment Reminder Texts: Everything You Need to Know

Doctor Appointment Reminder Texts: Everything You Need to Know

Doctor appointment reminder texts are a great tool for communicating with patients. Learn about all the benefits in this complete guide.

A Complete Guide to Appointment Reminders

Free text message appointment reminders.

Missed appointments cost U.S. health care providers  $150 billion  each year. They also have serious negative consequences for patient health.

Missing a single visit can start a patient on  a downward spiral . It can lead to lapses in care and missing future visits. It may disconnect patients from their care teams.

Often, providers struggle to help their patients remember and attend appointments. Keep reading to learn how game-changing doctor appointment reminder texts are empowering patients and helping providers achieve better outcomes.

On This Page

Why Do Patients Miss Appointments?

A surprising number of factors need to come together in order for patients to make their scheduled appointments. Even seemingly small things can derail patients’ best intentions and prevent them from making it to the doctor’s office. Among the most common  reasons patients cite  include:

• Lack of transportation
• Lack of childcare
• Scheduling conflicts

The final most commonly cited reason is related to communication. Patients may simply forget that they have appointments coming up. This is often compounded by failed attempts at communication with their providers.

Patients may miss reminder calls or emails, or not receive them until it is too late for them to arrange their schedules, commitments, and transportation to attend.

How Can Healthcare Providers Prevent Missed Appointments?

One of the most powerful things that providers can do to assist patients in making their appointments is to provide timely and effective appointment reminders.

Reminders should be provided far enough in advance to allow patients time to make the necessary schedule and travel arrangements.  They should also be delivered in a format that is easy to receive and access.

Traditionally, offices have made reminder phone calls or sent emails. Evidence suggests, however, that this is ineffective. Both options are:

• Time-consuming for office staff
• Difficult or expensive to schedule during the best times for reaching patients
• Easy for patients to miss entirely

How Can Doctor Appointment Reminder Texts Affect Your Practice’s Bottom Line?

Compared to phone calls and other inefficient or uneffective methods, doctors appointment text messages are:

• Cost-effective
• Stress-reducing for both patients and providers

Using a medical appointment reminder service saves practices money in several ways. First, it reduces or eliminates the number of staff hours dedicated to patient appointment reminders. This can cut labor costs substantially.

Effective text-based doctor appointment reminders also dramatically reduce the number of missed patient appointments. Each time a patient makes an appointment they otherwise would have missed, your practice will save an average of $200.

Most providers also find that text reminders:

• Promote stronger patient-physician relationships
• Promote better patient compliance with care plans and better health outcomes
• Help patients remember key paperwork and other supporting materials necessary for their visits

Why Are Doctor Appointment Reminders Effective?

Text reminders  are effective for many reasons. Chief among them are patients’:

• Constant exposure to their phones
• Ability to access and respond to texts even when they can’t talk on the phone
• Ability to confirm, cancel, or reschedule appointments with a single click
• Ability to confirm, cancel, or reschedule appointments outside of standard office hours
• Ability to integrate text messages with other lifestyle and support apps such as digital calendars and maps

Text messages can also place other necessary or helpful information at patients’ fingertips. For example, this may include directions to the appointment address or to a specific office within a medical complex. Delivered in text form, this information is guaranteed to be accurate and not mistranscribed, misspelled, lost, or forgotten.

All of these features make it easier, more convenient, and more comfortable for your patients to attend their appointments on time and with little or no stress.

Is Text Messaging HIPAA Compliant?

With so many companies being hit hard in recent years for  HIPAA violations , some providers worry about the legality of using text reminders. HIPAA compliant text message appointment reminders are possible, however.

Providers simply need to ensure that patients “opt-in” to text reminders rather than sending them out to everyone without asking. Automated medical text marketing systems can make this quick and easy. They can even auto-remove certain categories of patients, such as those who are in the hospital, from text mailing lists to prevent unwanted texts.

Providers must also use a “secure text” system which encrypts patient data. This ensures that all information remains secure and compliant with HIPAA rules.

Can a Doctor Text a Patient?

Can doctors send non-automated texts to patients without violating HIPAA? Yes. As long as the patient has opted in and secure texting is used, doctors can text patients directly.

Tips for How to Write Text Message Appointment Reminders

Effective doctor appointment reminder texts can come in many forms. In all cases, however, they should:

• Be as short and concise as possible
• Be easy to understand
• Specify the provider
• Specify the appointment time and location
• Provide patients with the opportunity to confirm or cancel with one click or a single letter reply
• Remind patients of anything they need to do in advance or bring with them to the appointment
• Be sent during a time of day that is appropriate to your patient population

Ideally, texts will also give patients the opportunity to easily reschedule if needed.

Doctor Reminder Text Examples

Here are a few examples of what well-constructed reminder texts might look like.

• You have an appointment with Dr. Smith on Friday, Jan 20, 2021 at 3 p.m. at DownTown Clinic. Reply Y to confirm this appointment now or N to cancel it. Please arrive 5 minutes early to review your insurance paperwork.
• Dear [Patient Name], your appointment with Dr. Smith at DownTown Clinic is coming up at 3 p.m. on 1/20/21. Confirm your appointment by clicking here [link]. To reschedule click here [link]. Please remember to bring your insurance card.

Other Uses of Medical Texting

Secure text systems can also be used within health practices for transactional messaging and promotional messaging. Examples include:

• Conducting patient surveys
• Reminding practice staff of shifts, meetings, and other important news
• Sharing general health tips or seasonal reminders with patients
• Alerting patients to new services, or changes in hours, locations, or policies

Reduce Your Missed Patient Visits Today

A medical appointment reminder service can revolutionize your practice. It can make your office run more smoothly and cost-efficiently, and help you deliver the best possible care to your patients.  Create an account  and find out how easy it is to get started with doctor appointment reminder texts today.

START FOR FREE. NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED.

Create account.

Start scheduling, managing, and automating text messages today.

Create Your Free Account

Start scheduling, managing, and automating text messages today. No credit card required. Takes 3 minutes.

Automate Text Message Reminders Today

Automatically send appointment and other event reminders with our calendar integrations.

View Related Posts

Related Posts

• 2-Way Messaging
• Mass Texting
• Schedule Texts
• Recurring Texts
• Import Contacts
• Private Number
• Integrations
• Automations
• Schedule Demo
• Sign Up for Free
• Knowledge Base
• SMS Templates
• Credit Calculator
• Success Stories

NEW Insurance Eligibility Solution Enhances Revenue Cycle Messaging™ Suite Learn More

10 Patient Appointment Reminder Templates That Get Results

No-shows and late cancellations are a seemingly unavoidable headache for healthcare practices today. Depending on your practice’s specialty, you’re likely seeing no-show rates of anywhere from 10%–30%.

Missed appointments are a widespread issue. In the ADA’s February 2023 economic issues and trends report, eight in 10 dentists said missed appointments and late cancellations were the main reasons their practice schedules weren’t full, beginning in July of 2022. Similarly, an August 2022 MGMA poll found that 49% of medical groups said no-show rates had increased since 2021. Missed appointments aren’t just annoying; they’re also incredibly costly. A practice can lose anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000 a year per provider from no-shows.

How can my practice minimize no-shows?

One of the best ways to keep your no-show rate in check is an automated appointment reminder solution . Automatically sending patients a series of reminders, particularly via text, gives you a bevy of benefits:

• Reduces no-shows to 5% or less
• Saves staff time by replacing manual calls with automated texts, emails or voicemails
• Helps patients remember their appointments and easily confirm, cancel, or reschedule
• Fills your schedule, boosts production, and increases your appointment volume

Though it’s best to match your communications to patients’ preferences, text reminders are hands down the most effective way to ensure patients keep their appointments. In one poll, 71% of patients said they prefer to get appointment reminders as text messages rather than an email or voicemail. In another study, practices saw a 156% increase in confirmations by sending automated text reminders at a proven cadence.

What are some appointment reminder best practices? 

What makes an effective appointment reminder that gets patients to respond by confirming, canceling, or rebooking this visit? There’s a few tried-and-true reminder practices you’ll want to ensure every appointment reminder text message or email contains:

• Include only essential appointment details : Keep the reminder short and sweet, perhaps a couple of short sentences, that include the doctor’s name and date and time of the appointment.
• Keep texts HIPAA compliant : Since texting isn’t entirely secure, include only the minimal amount of protected health information (PHI) needed to help the patient remember their appointment. For example, limit reminder content to the date and time of the appointment and the name and phone number of the practice.
• Present a call to action: Along with reminding patients about an upcoming visit, you want the message to prompt them to take some action, such as replying Yes or No to a text to confirm their appointment, to cancel, or to reschedule. It’s also good practice to include an “Add to Calendar” hyperlink patients can click and easily add the appointment to their smartphone calendar.
• Send multiple reminders : Studies have found that practices get the best results when three separate reminders are sent at intervals of three weeks, three days, and three hours before the appointment. That helps even the most forgetful patients to show up to their scheduled visit.
• Adhere to compliance regulations by offering an opt out : Though patients receiving text reminders have previously signed up for them, always give them the option to opt out of texts or emails. For texts, don’t forget a message like “Reply STOP” to unsubscribe from future texts.

What are some examples of effective, HIPAA-compliant text and email appointment reminder templates?

Professional appointment reminder templates for text and sms.

Natasha, please reply YES to confirm your appt at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, September 16. Thanks!

801-331-7207

Alpine Demo Clinic

TextSTOPoptout

Reply Y to confirm your appt at 10:00 AM on Thursday, May 5, with Dr. Jane Doe at Alpine Dental. Thx! Alpine Demo Clinic 8009958444 TextSTOPoptout

Hello, your 3 appts start at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, May 11 with Dr. Smith. See you then! Alpine Dental Practice UT 8013317100 TextSTOPoptout

Terry, remember to take your meds before your 10:00 AM appt on Thursday, May 5.

Alpine Medical Clinic 8009958444 TextSTOPoptout

Terry, you are overdue for your dental visit. Please click here [online scheduling hyperlink] or call to set up an appt.

Appointment Reminder Email Templates

Hello Natasha,

Just a friendly reminder about your upcoming appointment with DR. Janet Baker DDS. Please confirm your appointment by clicking the button below.

____________________

Your appointment is:

Tuesday, March 16

Confirm Now [hyperlink button]

We appreciate your time and look forward to seeing you then!

Dr. Janet Baker DDS

[Add to my calendar hyperlink]  [Refer a Friend hyperlink]

Hello Terry,

This is a friendly reminder about your appointment with Dr. Jane Doe at our Eaglesoft Endodontics office.

Thursday, May 5

Click the calendar link below to add this to your schedule.

Dr. Jane Doe

We missed you at your Wednesday, May 4 appointment. Please click on the link below to reschedule.

Reschedule Now [hyperlink button]

We look forward to seeing you soon!

This is a friendly reminder about your appointments at our Alpine Dental Lehi Location office.

Your appointments are:

Wednesday, May 11

• Terry Smith 10:00AM
• Zak Smith 10:30AM
• Kristin Smith 11:00AM

Please note that we do not accept changes or cancellations via email.

Dr. Severide Smith

Your dental health is important to us. You are overdue for your preventive dental and oral health exam. Please click below to request an appointment.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

800-995-8444

Key Takeaways

While no-shows and late cancellations will likely never be eliminated 100%, sending automated appointment reminders helps you minimize missed appointments. Whether sent as texts, emails, or voicemails, a quality reminder solution and proven email reminder templates help you connect better with patients. This enables you to increase confirmations and appointment volume while ensuring patients get the care they need. In the end, patient communications software like reminders help your practice gain the efficiencies and higher production you need to grow your practice.

For more tips and strategies on how to boost your practice’s production while overcoming staff shortages, download the guide, “7 Strategies to Solve Staffing Shortages.”

You might also be interested in…

Dental Insurance Eligibility Webinar

Solutionreach Unveils Revolutionary All-in-One Insurance Eligibility Technology

6 Reasons to Switch to Automated Payment Reminders 

• Start free 14 day trial
• Start free trial

Remind and Recall: 16 Patient Appointment Reminder Templates

Did you know that your patients prefer text message appointment reminders? Patient text message reminders have a 30% higher confirmation rate than phone calls and a whopping 150% higher confirmation rate than email.

But how do you get started? We’ve got you covered with some patient appointment reminder samples, examples, and templates.

Check out our Best Practices for Healthcare Appointment Reminders.

HIPAA-Compliant Email & Text Messaging

Protecting your patients’ privacy and meeting regulations for HIPAA compliance is an essential part of your business. Apptoto’s automated appointment reminders and online scheduling for healthcare can enable you to send HIPAA-compliant appointment reminders and patient recall messaging. Apptoto integrates directly with your EMR or EHR system , so there is no need to change your current scheduling process. Apptoto will extract the details needed and then send customized and automated appointment reminders to your patients.

Reduce No-Shows and Operational Costs

With fewer missed appointments, late cancellations, no-shows, and late arrivals, you’ll have more time to help patients who need you. But fewer no-shows also reduce operational costs for your practice. With the national no-show average for doctor appointments being just under 20% , finding a way to reduce that by 50% without increasing staff costs can drastically impact your revenue.

When patients are able to choose their own appointment times without feeling rushed over the phone or while in line in your office, they’re more likely to choose one that will work when the day comes.

They then have the opportunity to confirm or cancel their appointment with appropriate notice when they receive their HIPAA-compliant appointment reminder via voice, text, or email. This allows your office to refill vacated appointment slots, leading to more patients being seen and fewer gaps in your working day.

Dentist Appointment Reminder Text Message Sample

• Hi [Patient First Name] – this is a reminder of your upcoming appointment with Dr. Geller at Bright White Smiles on [Appointment Day] at [Appointment Time]. Reply 1 to Confirm, 2 to Cancel or 3 to Reschedule.
• Hi [Patient First Name] – this is a reminder of your upcoming appointment with Dr. Geller/Dentist Name at [Appointment Time] on [Appointment Day]. To reschedule, please call 555-555-5555
• Reminder: [Dental Service Type] with Bright White Smiles on [Appointment Day] at [Appointment Time]
• Don’t forget! You have an appointment with Dr. Geller/Dentist at [Appointment Time] on [Appointment Day]. To reschedule, please call 555-555-5555

Dental Recall Appointment Reminders

• It’s time for your next cleaning with Dr. Geller/Dentist Name. Call 555-555-5555 or click here [Online Scheduling Link] to schedule your appointment.
• It’s that time again, [Patient Name]! Schedule your dental appointment with White Smile Dental soon. Call 555-555-5555 to make an appointment.

Patient Appointment Reminder Templates

• Hi [Patient First Name] – this is a reminder of your upcoming appointment with Dr. Grey/Doctor Name at [Appointment Time] on [Appointment Day]. To reschedule, please call 555-555-5555
• Hello! Just a quick reminder from [Doctor or Provider Name] about your appointment on [Appointment Date] at [Appointment Time]. Please do not eat for 12 hours prior to your appointment. Reply 1 to Confirm, 2 to Cancel.
• Reminder: You have a consultation/check-up/health screening/eye exam with Dr. Grey at Happy Healthy Clinic tomorrow at [Appointment Time]. Reply 1 to Confirm or call 555-555-5555 to reschedule.

Patient Recall Appointment Reminders

• It’s time for your annual check-up. Schedule time with Dr. Carter/Doctor Name by calling 555-555-5555 or clicking here [Online Scheduling Link]
• We miss you, [Patient Name]! Schedule your annual check-up with Dr. Yang. Call us at 555-555-5555
• Can you believe it’s already been a year? Call 555-555-5555 to schedule your annual check-up with Dr. Shepherd.

Physical Therapy Appointment Reminder Examples

• You have an appointment with Evan at Best Physical Therapy on [Appointment Date] from [Start Time] until [End Time]. Please wear loose-fitting clothing. Reply 1 to Confirm or 2 to Reschedule.
• Reminder: Aquatic Therapy Session on [Appointment Day] at [Appointment Time] at Expert Physical Therapy located at [Location Address]. Please bring proof of insurance. Call 555-555-5555 to reschedule.

Dermatologist Appointment Reminders

• You have a skin check exam scheduled with Dr. Day on [Appointment Date] at [Appointment Time]. Free parking is available in the Green parking garage on Levels 1-3. Please arrive 15 minutes early to fill out new client paperwork. Reply 1 to Confirm, 2 to Cancel or 3 to Reschedule.
• Appointment Reminder: [Appointment Date] at [Appointment Time]. [Location Address]. Reply 1 to Confirm, 2 to Cancel or 3 to Reschedule.

Looking for more best practices? Download The Complete Guide to Appointment Reminders

• Testimonials
• Reseller Program
• API Documentation
• Support Center
• Knowledge Base

Live support available 8am-5pm. Drop us a note after hours!

Call: 888-318-3765 Email: [email protected]

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Security Policies

© 2010–2024 Apptoto. Appointment Reminder, Text Reminder, Voice & Email Service

• Personal Conversations
• Event Reminders
• Political Campaign
• Event Management
• Real Estate
• US A2P 10DLC
• Power Automate
• API Documentation
• Power Platform Custom Connector Documentation

SMS Templates for Doctors Appointment: Text to Confirm

Enhancing patient communication: sms for doctors.

Effective communication is vital in scheduling and managing appointments in today’s fast-paced healthcare landscape. With the prevalence of mobile technology , text messaging has emerged as a widely utilized and convenient means of interacting with patients. One particularly effective use of text messaging is through text message reminders , which have proven invaluable in ensuring patients attend their scheduled appointments in a timely manner. Leveraging the power of SMS, doctors can streamline their communication processes and improve patient satisfaction.

RELATED POSTS

50+ customizable text message examples for business communication, asking for donations request (message samples), crafting an effective email: sample email for doctor appointment reminder.

In this blog, we will explore the impact of text messaging, specifically text message reminders, on doctor-patient communication and provide valuable insights on how to ask for a doctor’s appointment in a message. From appointment confirmation requests to personalized reminders, we will present 20 SMS templates tailored specifically for doctors to optimize patient communication. By integrating text message reminders into their practice, doctors can enhance efficiency, reduce appointment no-shows, and ultimately deliver a more seamless and patient-centric experience. Join us as we delve into the SMS world for doctors and discover the benefits of leveraging text message reminders, a powerful communication tool.

Using Text Message Templates for Doctor Appointments

When it comes to managing doctor appointments, using text message templates can be incredibly useful, especially when sending an appointment message to the doctor. For example, an appointment confirmation text template can be sent to patients to ensure they have all the necessary details and can respond to confirm their attendance. Here’s a sample:

“Dear [Patient’s Name], This is a reminder of your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply ‘CONFIRM’ to this message to secure your appointment. If you need to reschedule, please reply with ‘RESCHEDULE’; our staff will assist you. Thank you.”

Additionally, an automated text message template can be set up as a reminder closer to the appointment date: “Hi [Patient’s Name], Just a friendly reminder that your appointment with Dr. [Doctor’s Name] is tomorrow at [Time]. We look forward to seeing you!”

Utilizing these text message templates allows healthcare providers to efficiently communicate with patients, reduce missed appointments, and improve overall appointment management.

Appointment confirmation texts are reliable for confirming appointments, providing reminders, and facilitating communication between doctors and their patients. These text messages help patients keep track of their upcoming appointments and allow doctors to efficiently manage their schedules and ensure that their patients receive the care they need. Let’s look at sample texts that can be used in various scenarios.

• Appointment Confirmation Text Message Sample: Dear [Patient Name], this is a confirmation message for your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Medical Appointment Reminder Text Message Sample: Hello [Patient Name], this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Reschedule Appointment Text Message Sample: Dear [Patient Name], we regret to inform you that your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time] has been rescheduled. The new appointment date and time are [New Date] at [New Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Missed Appointment Text Template: Hello [Patient Name], we missed you at your scheduled appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please contact us to reschedule your appointment.
• No-Show Appointment Text Template: Dear [Patient Name], you missed your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please contact us to reschedule your appointment.
• Doctor Appointment Reminder Template: Hello [Patient Name], this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please remember to bring your insurance card and any necessary paperwork.
• Confirmation Appointment Text Message Sample: Dear [Patient Name], this is a confirmation message for your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Text with a Doctor: Hello [Patient Name], this is Dr. [Doctor Name]. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns before your upcoming appointment on [Date] at [Time].
• Doctor Appointment Confirmation Email Template: Dear [Patient Name], this is a confirmation email for your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply to this email to confirm your attendance.
• Doctor Appointment Text Reminder: Hello [Patient Name], this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Doctor Appointment Scheduling Template: Hello [Patient Name], we have scheduled your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Appointment Reminder Text Example: Hello [Patient Name], this is a reminder for your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Confirm Appointment Text: Dear [Patient Name], this is a confirmation message for your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply “YES” to confirm your attendance.
• Doctor Templates: Hello [Patient Name], this is Dr. [Doctor Name]. I am writing to confirm your appointment with me on [Date] at [Time]. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
• Appointment Confirmation Text: Dear [Patient Name], this is a confirmation message for your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time].

These are just a few examples of how text messages can be utilized to improve appointment management and patient engagement. By embracing modern communication methods like text messaging, doctors can enhance their patients’ experience and ensure that they receive the care they need in a timely manner.

Remember, effective communication is vital in healthcare, and appointment confirmation texts provide a convenient and efficient way to stay connected with your doctor and maintain your scheduled appointments.

Forgetting the date or day is pretty standard, given that we all usually have a lot on our minds. But imagine forgetting an important doctor’s appointment. It affects the patient and wastes the doctor’s precious time. Wouldn’t receiving a text reminder for our doctor’s appointments be better? That way, we’re mentally prepared to take our time out and show up at them, ensuring a smoother and more efficient experience for patients and doctors.

Doctor appointment reminder messages are crucial in ensuring that patients attend their scheduled appointments. These messages help reduce the number of no-shows, a significant problem in the healthcare industry . By reminding patients of their upcoming appointments, they can plan accordingly and avoid scheduling conflicts or forgetfulness.

Additionally, these reminders allow patients to prepare for their appointment, such as gathering necessary paperwork or fasting. This helps to ensure that the appointment runs smoothly and efficiently, which benefits both the patient and the doctor.

Furthermore, appointment reminder messages can improve patient satisfaction and engagement by showing that their healthcare provider is organized, attentive, and caring. Overall, doctor appointment reminder messages are an essential and effective tool for ensuring patients receive the care they need and deserve.

Appointment Confirmation Text Templates

Below we have listed 20 doctor appointment reminder message templates that you could use.

• “Hello [Patient Name], this is a reminder of your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please remember to arrive 10 minutes early and bring your ID and insurance card. We look forward to seeing you!”
• “This is a friendly reminder that you have an appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know your questions or concerns before your appointment. Thank you!”
• “Don’t forget, your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is tomorrow at [Time]. Please arrive on time and bring a list of any medications you’re currently taking. Thank you!”
• “We wanted to remind you of your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you need to reschedule or have questions about your upcoming visit. Thank you!”
• “Hi [Patient Name], your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is in [Number] days on [Date] at [Time]. Please bring any medical records or documents relevant to your visit. Thank you!”
• “Your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is coming up on [Date] at [Time]. If you have any concerns or questions before your visit, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We hope to make your visit as comfortable as possible!”
• “Just a friendly reminder that you have an appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you need to reschedule or cancel as soon as possible. Thank you!”
• “Hello [Patient Name], your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is scheduled for [Date] at [Time]. Please remember to bring your insurance card and any other relevant documents. We hope to see you soon!”
• “Your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is tomorrow at [Time]. Please let us know before you visit if you have any questions or concerns. We want to make sure your visit goes as smoothly as possible!”
• “Don’t forget, your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is scheduled for [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you need to reschedule or if you have any questions about your upcoming visit. Thank you!”
• “We’re looking forward to seeing you for your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please make sure to bring any relevant documents or records. If you have any concerns or questions, please let us know. Thank you!”
• “Hello! Your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is just around the corner on [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you have any changes to your medical history or if you need to reschedule. We hope to see you soon!”
• “Your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is in [Number] days on [Date] at [Time]. If you need to reschedule or have any questions, be sure to get in touch with us at your earliest convenience. Thank you!”
• “Don’t forget, your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is scheduled for [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you have any special requests or if there’s anything we can do to make your visit more comfortable. Thank you!”
• “Hi [Patient Name], this is a reminder that you have an appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please bring your insurance card and a list of any questions or concerns. We look forward to seeing you!”
• “Hello [Patient Name], just a reminder that you have an appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you need to change your visit. We hope to see you soon!”
• “We wanted to remind you of your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Thank you!”
• “Your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] is scheduled for [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs or special requirements for your visit. We’re committed to making your experience as comfortable as possible!”
• “Hi [Patient Name], we’re looking forward to seeing you for your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please let us know if you need to reschedule or have any questions about your upcoming visit. Thank you!”
• Dear Patient, we have scheduled your appointment with Dr. [Doctor Name] on [Date & Time] at [Clinic Name]. Be sure to be right on time. Your healthcare is important to us. Thank you.

PowerTextor

Power Textor, a text messaging platform, improves patient attendance at healthcare appointments through automated text reminders. The platform allows healthcare providers to send customized, personalized text messages to patients before their scheduled appointments, reminding them of the time and location of the appointment. These reminders can also include important details, such as instructions on fasting or medication changes before the appointment.

Power Textor helps patients attend their appointments by reducing the risk of missed appointments due to forgetfulness or conflicting schedules. Studies have shown that appointment reminders through text messaging can significantly improve attendance rates, leading to better patient health outcomes. Additionally, Power Textor offers features such as two-way messaging and appointment confirmation, allowing patients to easily communicate with their healthcare provider if they need to reschedule or have any questions.

Power Textor offers a range of vital features that make it an effective tool for healthcare providers to communicate with their patients. Some of Power Textor’s key features include:

Customizable text messages:

The platform allows healthcare providers to customize their text messages to include specific details about the appointment, such as the time, date, location, and any instructions or preparations needed before the appointment.

Automated reminders:

Power Textor can automatically send appointment reminders to patients before their scheduled appointments. Providers can set the timing and frequency of these reminders to ensure that patients have enough time to prepare and attend their appointments.

Two-way messaging:

Power Textor enables two-way messaging , allowing patients to respond to appointment reminders and communicate with their healthcare provider. This feature can be handy for rescheduling appointments or asking questions about their healthcare.

Appointment confirmation:

The platform also offers appointment confirmation, which allows patients to confirm their attendance or request to reschedule their appointment. This feature can help healthcare providers plan their schedules and manage their patient load more effectively.

Data tracking and reporting:

Power Textor provides healthcare providers with data tracking and reporting features allowing them to monitor appointment attendance rates and patient engagement . This data can be used to improve communication strategies and ensure patients receive the care they need.

PowerTextor’s key features make it an effective tool for improving patient engagement and attendance at healthcare appointments. This platform allows healthcare providers to communicate more effectively with their patients, leading to better health outcomes and a more positive patient experience.

Related Posts

Effective SMS Templates for Healthcare Professionals

Real Estate Cold Calling Scripts (Boosting Lead Generation)

Winning Subject Lines for Introduction Emails (100+ Examples)

A2P 10DLC Opt-In Best Practices for Text Messaging Compliance

A2P 10DLC Registration: Everything You Need to Know

Recommended stories.

What is 10DLC and Why Should Businesses Use It?

Popular stories.

10DLC Campaign Use Cases for Non-Profit Organizations

How to leverage labor day with text message marketing.

Designed for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, Power Textor helps businesses develop better relationships with their customers through the power of text message marketing and Microsoft Power Automate.  

Quick Links

• Documentation
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Security Policy

Get in Touch

(331)250-2717

[email protected]

Chicago,IIlinois

Powered by Imperium Dynamics

• Request a demo

Text Messaging for Medical Appointment Reminders

Want to learn how to set up text message appointment remiders for doctors and denists? Read on for why its important and how to get started.

If you run a doctor’s office or dental practice, you know how frustrating missed appointments can be. No-shows don’t just waste valuable time, they hurt revenue too.

That’s why some form of a text appointment reminder system is standard practice at most medical facilities. Read on for why missed appointments occur, how medical appointment reminder services can help doctors and dentists, and guidelines to follow for a successful texting strategy.

How Can Doctors and Dentists Prevent Missed Appointments?

It goes without saying that you can’t control traffic or work conflicts. However, you can do something about the 81% of appointments that are missed due to forgetfulness or miscommunication.

For years providers have relied on traditional appointment reminder methods, but they often aren’t enough.

• Postcards  sent through the main are slow, and often trashed as junk mail.
• Phone calls  can be untimely and intrusive. You can leave a message, but there’s no way of knowing when the patient will listen to it.
• Email alerts  are becoming increasingly popular, but most inboxes are already overflowing with messages. Many emails are ignored and spam filters can keep your reminder from seeing the light of day.

How Patients Prefer to Receive Medical Appointment Reminders

In 2017, the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) conducted a survey in which patients reported several ways medical practices could have helped them keep their appointment. 38.1% said a reminder via text message would have helped. That’s 14.3% more than those who said phone calls would have helped and 19.1% more than those who said email reminders.

The data is clear: healthcare text messages are the preferred way to inform patients about upcoming appointments.

Just like any business, your medical office shouldn’t waste valuable time or spend money on ineffective marketing tactics. Why manually contact patients when you may just be ignored? Medical and dental appointment reminder text messages cut down on phone time and lower your overhead.

You can even automate medical appointment reminders to send automatically thanks to recurring campaigns .

How Can Medical Appointment Reminder Texts Affect Your Practice’s Bottom Line?

Overbooking can lead to patient dissatisfaction. Leaving unfilled openings, on the other hand, can have a serious effect on productivity and revenue. Want to find out just how much money your practice can be losing due to no-shows? Follow this simple formula:

Why Medical Appointment Reminders Are Effective

By now it’s clear that patients prefer text messages, but what is it about SMS that makes it so useful for reducing no-shows? Unlike emails, phone calls and postcards people always read their texts. There’s no app to install and texts work on every cellphone.

Consider the following:

Texts are read instantly. Emails may sit in inboxes for hours or days before they get opened. 90% of texts are read within 3 minutes of receipt!

Texts are friendly and unobtrusive. Patients can check their texts even if they’re not available to answer a phone call. And they can easily refer back to the text later if they forget their appointment time.

Texts are rarely ignored. Less than 1% of all text messages go unread. There’s no spam box for them to go to, and the notifications can’t be turned off. One of our users, Lighthouse Dental , reports nearly a 100% response rate to their texts as opposed to phone calls.

Start Sending Appointment Reminders for Free

No credit card required

How to Write Effective Text Message Appointment Reminders

You’ve seen how texts can help and you’re ready to start sending messages. To ensure the success of your appointment reminders, make sure your messages meet the following guidelines:

• Keep your messages succinct and easy to read
• Include the date, time and location of the appointment
• Ask patients to reply Y or N to confirm
• Remind patients to bring the necessary paperwork
• Send messages between noon and 5 pm

As we mentioned above, many no-shows occur because patients write down the incorrect time. That’s why it’s essential to include the appointment details in your reminders. And by asking patients to confirm appointments via text, you can cut back on the large percentage of people who simply forget to cancel.

Take a look at the text above. It follows all of the best practices for patient text appointment reminders . Notice that it doesn’t include any sensitive or confidential information. This is crucial to complying with HIPAA regulations. Let’s talk about HIPAA and text messages:

Is Text Messaging HIPAA Compliant?

Text messages are not HIPAA compliant because they are stored indefinitely on the cellphone companies’ servers. Additionally, cellphones can be lost or stolen which could expose personal health info. As you can see in the example above, the specialty of the provider is not revealed. Neither is the reason for the appointment, the treatment the patient is coming in for, or the medical their taking. No information of this nature should be revealed unless a member of your staff is certain they’re speaking directly to the patient.

As long as you don’t plan on sending private medical informational, there is no problem at all using a text messaging service !

Here’s more information on HIPAA compliant texting .

Other Ways to Use Text Messaging in Medical Offices

We’ve spent a lot of time explaining why medical offices should use texts for appointment reminders. Our happy customers in the healthcare industry also use SMS for a variety of other purposes:

Keep doctors and staff informed Notify your staff of important schedule changes or general announcements. Create lists of contacts for specific teams or departments.

Get shifts covered quickly You can reach large groups at once using text messages. Let your entire staff know as soon as you need a substitute to cover a shift.

Send patient satisfaction surveys Our two-way messaging features allows you to receive inbound SMS messages at no cost. Use texts to send polls and surveys to find out how your healthcare practice can improve.

Alert patients of new test results Reach out to individual patients with important information. Include secure links to test results as soon as they’re ready.

💡 Need some inspiration for your medical office’s text messages? We built a free SMS template generator to give you some ideas.

These are just a few of the ways that SMS for healthcare can bring your office into the 21st century. Use texts to keep your patients happy, your staff useful, and your profits in perfect health.

Try Text Marketing for Medical Offices Today

Promotional Messages vs. Transactional Texts for Medical Offices

Before you start sending appointment reminders or advertising new services, you need to collect your clients’ numbers and, in some cases, their consent. First, we’ll cover a crucial distinction between two types of texts and how it applies to medical and dental offices.

Transactional messages are any texts “facilitating, completing, or confirming a previously agreed upon transaction.”

Promotional messages , on the other hand, are any other texts that aren’t directly involving an existing transaction.

Why is it important to know the difference between promotional and transactional messages ? By law, you’re required to get a patient’s express written consent to receive any marketing texts, whereas transactional texts may require a lesser form of consent.

What does this mean for your office? As shown in the table below, appointment or checkup reminders are transactional texts, and as such, do not require a patient’s consent. That means if you have their cell number on file, you can send them a friendly reminder text with no hassle.

If you’d like to send promotional messages, your patients have to opt in, or subscribe, to your messages. This can be as simple as texting your designated keyword (e.g., “DRSMITH”) to 47177. They can also opt-in using a form on your website.

How to Enroll Patients in Your Text Reminder Service

Ask while scheduling If you don’t have a patient’s number, or even if you do, it’s easy and polite to ask if they’d like a text reminder when scheduling an appointment. Ask when they’d like to receive their reminder and what number works best.

This is also a great time to ask if they’d like to receive other texts, such as weekly health tips, reminders to schedule new appointments, or alerts about new services available.

Add a sign-up form to your website If your patients have the ability to schedule appointments online, this is the perfect opportunity to enroll them in your text reminder service. Our platform makes it easy to create an embeddable sign-up form and add it to your website.

Waiting room displays Your patients are already on their phones while waiting for the appointment. Place a sign, placard, or notice somewhere prominent in your waiting area. The display should contain simple instructions to sign up for your new text reminder service.

Here’s an example of an effective display:

We now offer convenient text message reminders! Sign up for appointment reminders, monthly health tips, and more! Just text “DRCOLE” to 47177!

When to Get Patients Enrolled for Text Message Appointment Reminders

Of course, half the work is getting your patients successfully enrolled to receive your texts. Here are a few golden opportunities you’ll want to take advantage of.

During a scheduling

There are a couple of ways to do this, depending on how you schedule patients.

• If you’re scheduling in person (at the front desk or in your office), you can have patients consent to the use of their number for texts. Alternatively, you can advertise a keyword or QR code at the desk so patients can easily opt themselves in.
• If you schedule over the phone, simply ask patients whether they consent to receive text messages and send them an initial opt-in text to confirm.

During an online appointment

If you’re meeting with your patients online, send them a link to your webpage and direct them to a sign-up form where they can opt in or put your keyword in the video chat so they can access it directly.

While they are in the waiting room

Many professionals who use intake paperwork choose to put their opt-in methods on their patient forms. This usually looks like a QR code patients can scan with their phone or (you guessed it) a keyword they can text to agree to receive your messages.

Why Patients Miss Appointments in the First Place

The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) is a professional organization comprised of over 45,000 medical practice administrators, executives, and leaders. In 2017, they conducted a survey of over 143 patients  to understand how medical offices can optimize their scheduling efforts.

Of the patients who had missed an appointment in the last year, most (52.4%) reported that they simply forgot to attend or cancel. 28.6% cited that they wrote down the wrong time or date, and 23.8% said they had to miss the appointment due to other issues such as traffic or work.

It goes without saying that you can’t control traffic or work conflicts. However, you can do something about the 81% of appointments that are missed due to forgetfulness or miscommunication, which are all cutting into your medical practice’s bottom line.

That’s exactly what the MGMA did in their 2017 survey. The patients reported several ways their practice could have helped them keep their appointment. 38.1% said a reminder via text message would have helped.

That’s 14.3% more than those who said phone calls would have helped and 19.1% more than those who said email reminders.

The data is clear: text messages are the preferred way to inform patients about upcoming appointments.

How Missed Medical Appointments Affect Your Practice’s Bottom Line

Overbooking can lead to patient dissatisfaction, but leaving unfilled openings can have a serious effect on productivity and revenue. Want to find out just how much money your practice can be losing due to no-shows?

Follow this simple formula:

Try Our Medical Text Reminder Service for Free

If you’re ready to give text appointments reminders a try, we encourage you to sign up for a free trial account with us.

We’ve helped hospitals, dental offices, and private practices across the country see success using texts messages. Our customer support team is here for your seven days a week. Just click the blue chat bubble at the bottom right to talk to an expert about your specific needs.

More Text Message Appointment Reminder Resources

Here are even more resources on sending medical and dental appointment reminder texts.

Wondering whether text messages are HIPAA-compliant? In this guide, we’ll outline what you can and can’t send to patients for HIPAA-compliant texting. READ MORE

Your Cookie Choices

When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Cookie Statement

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

• Sales CRM Software
• Application Portals
• Call Center CRM
• Mobile CRM App
• Omnichannel Communication CONVERSE
• Reporting Dashboard SIERA
• Lead Management System
• Opportunity Management
• Sales Process Automation
• Sales Tracking
• Door-to-Door Sales
• Remote Team Management
• Field Sales CRM
• Merchant Onboarding App
• App UI/UX Customizer CASA
• Outside Sales CRM
• Field Force Automation
• Collections Management
• Field Force Tracking
• Event Campaign Management
• Bancassurance Management
• Marketing Automation
• Chatbot - Website
• Chatbot - WhatsApp
• Landing Pages
• Email Campaigns
• Lead Capture Automation
• Lead Engagement
• BTL Marketing Automation
• Advanced Marketing Analytics
• Hospitals and Clinics
• Hospice and Palliative Care
• Fertility Clinics
• Dental Care
• Diagnostics Labs
• ACQUISITION
• Patient Intake Automation
• Patient Appointment Scheduling
• Healthcare Call Center Solution
• Patient Experience Management
• Self-serve Patient Portals
• EHR Integration
• Physician Empanelment
• Security and Compliance
• Patient Engagement
• Higher Education
• Pre-schools and K12
• Training Institutions
• Overseas Education
• Student Recruitment Software
• Admission Portal
• Teacher Onboarding
• Publisher Portal
• Admission Software
• Credit Unions
• Securities and Trading
• Lending CRM
• Loan Origination System
• WhatsApp Lending Bot
• Debt Recovery Automation
• Bancassurance Solution
• PAPERLESS ONBOARDING
• e-KYC Solution
• Video KYC Solution
• Merchant Onboarding
• Merchant Lifecycle Management
• Travel and Hospitality
• Agriculture
• Home Improvement
• View by Industries
• 5 Ready-to-use Patient Appointment Reminder SMS Templates with Examples

As much as you’d want your patients to show up, patients would also like to visit your facility to get timely treatment.

Sadly, the  no-show rates range from 12% to 80%  in different healthcare settings.

Often, people forget that they have a scheduled appointment, which leads to worrisome no-show rates.

But a simple reminder through SMS just a few hours before the scheduled appointment can help reduce patient no-shows . 

Here are 5  patient appointment reminder SMS templates  you can use for your practice. 

Related: • HIPAA compliant texting guide • Healthcare SMS templates • Patient outreach SMS templates • Patient appointment scheduling SMS templates

Patient appointment reminder SMS templates with examples

Template #1:

Hi  [Name] , we wanted to remind you about your appointment at  [Clinic/Hospital Name]  on  [Date] ,  [Time] . Address-  [Google Maps link].  Please arrive at the consultation area at least 15 minutes before the appointment.

Hi Jenny, we wanted to remind you about your appointment at Boston Dental   on 16/11/2022 at 4:30 PM. Address – https://g.page/boston-dental-downtown?share .  Please arrive at the consultation area at least 15 minutes before the appointment.

Template #2:

Dear  [Name] , this is a friendly reminder that you have an  [Time]  appointment today at  [Clinic/Hospital Name] . Please carry your previous reports with you. 

Dear Matt, this is a friendly reminder that you have a 4 o’clock appointment today at Sunshine Clinic. Please carry your previous reports with you. 

Template #3:

Dear  [Name] , You’ve got an appointment today at  [Time]  at  [Clinic/Hospital Name].  For queries, call us at  [Your Number] . 

Dear Sally, You’ve got an appointment today at 3:30 PM at Baystate Health .  For queries, call us at 999-999-9999.

Template #4:

Hello  [Name] , your appointment with  [Physician’s name]  is scheduled on  [Date and Time] . Please go through the consultation checklist at  [Link]  and upload the documents if you have not already. – [Hospital/Clinic name]

Hello Danny, your appointment with Dr Saroyan is scheduled for Friday 18th, at 2:20 PM. Please go through the consultation checklist at https://bit.ly/3Exgzh9 and upload the documents if you have not already. – Jefferson Healthcare

Template #5:

Hi  [Name] , This is a courtesy reminder for your appointment on  [Date]  at  [Time] . For a change in schedule or concerns, please call  [Phone Number] . – [Hospital/Clinic name]

Hi Liza, This is a courtesy reminder for your appointment on 16/11/2022 at 4:50 PM. For a change in schedule or concerns, please call 999-999-9999 – Atlanta Medical Center

Best practices for sending patient appointment reminder SMS

The laws require healthcare providers to be  HIPAA compliant . That means the messaging and the software you use for sending the SMS should also be HIPAA compliant.

Let’s look at how you can make your text messages HIPAA-compliant .

• Ensure your patients have opted in to receive messages from you.
• Avoid excessive personalization in your message, such as revealing the condition.
• Do not send lab test results via SMS. You can send the report link, which can be downloaded via a secure patient portal , but sending the results directly via SMS is not appreciated.
• Don’t type in lengthy texts. Make sure you convey the important points well within the SMS character limits.
• Send the reminder text on the day of the appointment and a few hours before the scheduled appointment. 
• Automate reminders . Of course, it’s impossible to send appointment reminder SMS manually. You can use tools like CRM to automatically send reminder texts.

However, ensure that the software you’re using to send those texts is HIPAA compliant. For instance, a physician or a nurse should not send text and inform patients or their relatives through their personal numbers. Even if the patient or their relatives insist on doing so.

HIPAA-compliant solutions for sending automated appointment reminder SMS

As mentioned, a  healthcare CRM  can help you send automated appointment reminders according to the triggers you create. For instance, a day before or an hour before the scheduled appointment. 

Solutions like  LeadSquared  help you send appointment reminders via several channels like email, SMS, and WhatsApp, all while being HIPAA compliant. Your staff can also make a phone call through the LeadSquared CRM application and record the interaction.

If you’re looking for a solution to automate communications with your patients and build stronger relationships, check out  LeadSquared’s HIPAA-compliant healthcare CRM  built for progressive healthcare practitioners. 

Book a free 1-1 consultation  to explore its complete functionalities.

Nidhi is a content writer/editor at LeadSquared. She works closely with sales professionals and senior management to bring their outlook into her write-ups. Connect with her on LinkedIn or write to her at [email protected].

Table of Contents

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on WhatsApp
• Share on LinkedIn

Want to see LeadSquared in action?

• Customer Portal
• Performance Management
• Dev Platform LAPPS
• Help Portal
• Pricing SALES
• Pricing MARKETING
• Education CRM
• Healthcare CRM
• Insurance CRM
• Banking CRM
• Real Estate
• Marketplace CRM
• Manufacturing CRM
• What is CRM
• What is lead management
• What is vendor management
• What is sales management
• Case Studies
• Guides & Blogs
• Compare CRM
• CRM Glossary
• Sales Glossary
• Media & News

GET IN TOUCH

(+1) 732-385-3546 (US)

080-46971075 (India Sales)

080-46801265 (India Support)

62-87750-350-446 (ID)

• Legal & Compliance

Let us be your fairy godmother!

Leadsquared can make these results yours (it's just like magic) .

• Integrations
• Text Reminders
• Online Booking
• 844-333-3702
• Start free trial

Appointment Reminder Email Templates

Published on 05-05-2019

Every business that relies on customer appointments shares one big problem: no shows. When customers fail to keep their appointments, your small business might waste valuable time tracking them down. Or worse, you might simply forfeit that hour of business and the revenue it was intended to bring in.

Calling customers to remind them of their appointments can be cumbersome and inefficient. That’s why email, text message reminders, and postcards are so popular. They save your business time and money—and most importantly, they help get people in the door.

If you’re struggling to come up with the perfect language to include in your reminder message, we’ve got you covered. We’ve created a list of appointment reminder email template samples, one of which is sure to fit your business style.

Do you own a dental practice or a law firm? Choose from one of our straightforward, no-nonsense email templates. Are you a pediatrician who enjoys making your little patients laugh? We’ve got fun email samples for you! Whether you want classy, elegant, silly, or professional, we’re sure you can find an appointment reminder template on this list to suit your needs.

To take the guesswork out of sending effective reminders, fill out the template of your choice and plug it in to   our Appointment Reminder software . The software works seamlessly with popular scheduling apps like Outlook and   Google Calendar  to send automated text message, email, or phone alerts when they’re most effective. Stop wasting time and start saving money today!

Appointment Reminder Email Template Samples

Formal email reminder template 1: medical practice.

Subject: Your next appointment is [DATE-TIME].

Dear [CUSTOMER-NAME],

We wanted to remind you that you have an appointment with [PROVIDER-NAME] on [DATE] at [TIME].

Here are a few reminders about your appointment:

• Plan to arrive 15 minutes early to fill out new patient paperwork. You can also fill out your paperwork ahead of time on our website at [WEB-URL].
• Please bring with you [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT-1], [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT-2], and [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT-3].
• Parking is available at [LOCATION].
• Please understand that if you are more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, we may have to reschedule.
• Co-pays and deductibles are due at the time of service.
• Missed appointments will result in a [DOLLAR-AMOUNT] fee.

We look forward to seeing you on [DATE-TIME]. If you are unable to make your appointment, please call our office at [BUSINESS-PHONE] as soon as possible.

[BUSINESS-NAME]

Formal email reminder template 2

Subject: Reminder-Your appointment on [DATE-TIME]

This is a friendly reminder confirming your appointment with [PROVIDER-NAME] on [DATE-TIME]. Please try to arrive 15 minutes early and bring your [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT].

If you have any questions or you need to reschedule, please call our office at [BUSINESS-PHONE]. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you on [DATE-TIME]. Have a wonderful day!

Warm regards,

Casual email reminder template 1

Subject: We’ll see you on [DATE-TIME]!

Hey there, [FIRST-NAME]! Just a quick reminder that you are scheduled for a visit to [BUSINESS NAME] on [DATE-TIME].

If you have any questions or you need to reschedule, don’t hesitate to call us at [BUSINESS-PHONE]. We’re here [BUSINESS-HOURS] on [BUSINESS-DAYS]. See you soon!

Casual email reminder template 2

Hi, [FIRST-NAME]!

This is a friendly reminder that we have you scheduled for [NAME-OF-SERVICE] on [DATE-TIME]. You can find us at [BUSINESS-ADDRESS].

Don’t forget:

• Bring your [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT].
• Try to get here 15 minutes early.
• If you need to reschedule, call us at [BUSINESS-PHONE]

We’ll see you soon!

Fun/Silly email reminder template 1

Subject: 😎 We’re excited to see you, [FIRST-NAME]!

Your next appointment with [BUSINESS-NAME] is on [DATE-TIME]. We’ll be counting the minutes!

If you need to reschedule, please give us a call. (Getting stood up is no fun at all.) Our number is [BUSINESS PHONE], and we’re here [BUSINESS-HOURS] on [BUSINESS-DAYS].

Have an outstanding day!

Fun/Silly email reminder template 2

Subject: 😲 Hey, [FIRST-NAME] did you hear? 👂

We’re super-excited! 😃 Why? Because your next appointment is tomorrow! We’ll see you on [DATE-TIME] for your [SERVICE].

Just a few quick reminders to take care of a little business:

• Try to get here early so that we can start right on time. (We don’t want to waste a minute!)
• Don’t forget to bring the stuff! We need your [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT-1] and [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT-2].
• If you need to reschedule, call us at [BUSINESS-PHONE].

See you soon!

Fun/Silly email reminder template 3: Party venue

Subject: [FIRST-NAME] will come out tomorrow!

Hey there, [FIRST-NAME]! Just a quick reminder that it’s your turn to stop by and see us tomorrow. Your party at [BUSINESS-NAME] will be at [DATE-TIME].

You and your guests are in for a great time. Your party package includes:

Your account balance of [AMOUNT] will be due at the time of the event. As always, you can contact your party planner, [EMPLOYEE-NAME], at any time with additional questions or requests. Our number is [BUSINESS-PHONE], and we are here [BUSINESS-HOURS].

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

[BUSINESS NAME]

Warm email reminder template 1

Subject: [CUSTOMER-NAME], your next appointment is on [DATE-TIME]

Dear [FIRST-NAME],

We hope you’re doing well. We wanted to remind you that your next appointment with [PROVIDER-NAME] is scheduled for [DATE-TIME]. We look forward to seeing you then.

Please remember to bring your [IMPORTANT-DOCUMENT] and arrive on time.

We truly care about your well-being, so if you have any questions or needs in advance of your appointment, you are welcome to call us anytime at [BUSINESS-PHONE]. One of our [JOB-TITLE] will get back to you as soon as possible.

Warm reminder email template 2: Massage, beauty, or luxury service

Subject: [FIRST-NAME], your [SERVICE] is [DATE-TIME]

We look forward to welcoming you for your [SERVICE] on [DATE-TIME]. As always, please let us know if there is anything more we can do for you. You may call us at [BUSINESS-PHONE] with any questions or special requests.

Do you need a reliable, automated appointment reminder service to take your business to the next level? Grab a free trial of

Are you ready to save time and money?

Hospitals and Health Systems 

Specialty groups and practices, federally qualified health centers, intelligent scheduling, online chat, personalized communications, digital registration, mobile payments, athenahealth, eclinicalworks, greenway health, veradigm (allscripts).

Why Medcorder?

Common Questions

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Patient Prefer Adherence

Appointment reminder systems are effective but not optimal: results of a systematic review and evidence synthesis employing realist principles

Sionnadh mairi mclean.

1 Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK

Andrew Booth

2 School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Melanie Gee

3 Centre for Health and Social Care Research, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK

Sarah Salway

4 Therapeutics & Palliative Care, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield, UK

Sadiq Bhanbhro

Susan a nancarrow.

5 School of Health and Human Science, Southern Cross University, East Lismore, NSW, Australia

Missed appointments are an avoidable cost and resource inefficiency which impact upon the health of the patient and treatment outcomes. Health care services are increasingly utilizing reminder systems to manage these negative effects. This study explores the effectiveness of reminder systems for promoting attendance, cancellations, and rescheduling of appointments across all health care settings and for particular patient groups and the contextual factors which indicate that reminders are being employed sub-optimally. We used three inter-related reviews of quantitative and qualitative evidence. Firstly, using pre-existing models and theories, we developed a conceptual framework to inform our understanding of the contexts and mechanisms which influence reminder effectiveness. Secondly, we performed a review following Centre for Reviews and Dissemination guidelines to investigate the effectiveness of different methods of reminding patients to attend health service appointments. Finally, to supplement the effectiveness information, we completed a review informed by realist principles to identify factors likely to influence non-attendance behaviors and the effectiveness of reminders. We found consistent evidence that all types of reminder systems are effective at improving appointment attendance across a range of health care settings and patient populations. Reminder systems may also increase cancellation and rescheduling of unwanted appointments. “Reminder plus”, which provides additional information beyond the reminder function may be more effective than simple reminders (ie, date, time, place) at reducing non-attendance at appointments in particular circumstances. We identified six areas of inefficiency which indicate that reminder systems are being used sub-optimally. Unless otherwise indicated, all patients should receive a reminder to facilitate attendance at their health care appointment. The choice of reminder system should be tailored to the individual service. To optimize appointment and reminder systems, health care services need supportive administrative processes to enhance attendance, cancellation, rescheduling, and re-allocation of appointments to other patients.

Introduction

Missed health care appointments are a major source of avoidable inefficiency that impacts on patient health and treatment outcomes. Data on non-attendance vary, however studies from around the world consistently report non-attendance rates of between 15% and 30% in outpatient health clinics. 1 – 4 In England, more than 12 million appointments at consultant led clinics, 5 and a similar number of general practice appointments are missed each year. 6 The cost of missed appointments to the UK National Health Service (NHS) has tripled since 1999. 7 In 2009, non-attendance was estimated to cost over £600 million (around US$970 million). 8

The consequences of non-attendance include increased appointment waiting times, 9 increased costs of care delivery, 10 , 11 underutilization of equipment and personnel, 10 reduced appointment availability, 6 , 11 reduced patient satisfaction, 12 , 13 and negative relationships between patients and staff. 6 , 9 Missed appointments may delay presentation at health services, resulting in a lack of follow-up of chronic conditions which may ultimately lead to complications, unnecessary suffering, and costly hospital admission. 10 , 14 Pressures from referring agents to manage waiting lists, can potentially increase staff stress, anxiety, and fatigue levels. 15 Reducing the number of missed appointments may be a relatively inexpensive way to increase health care efficiency, effectiveness, and quality.

Numerous reviews have demonstrated the effectiveness of existing reminder systems in varied service settings. However, research to-date focusses on the use of reminder systems in particular service contexts or technologies, 16 – 18 rather than synthesizing knowledge across different contexts and patient groups. This study explores the effectiveness of reminder systems for promoting attendance, cancellations, and rescheduling of appointments across all health care settings and for particular patient groups and the contextual factors which indicate that reminders are being employed sub-optimally.

Material and methods

Our project incorporated three components: the development of a conceptual framework to provide an understanding of the contexts and mechanisms which influence reminder effectiveness (review 1); a systematic review (SR) of the reminder effectiveness literature (review 2), and an evidence synthesis informed by realist principles to explain the contexts and mechanisms which influence reminder effectiveness (review 3). We used realist inquiry because it clarifies the context–mechanism–outcome relationships in an attempt to understand better what works, for whom, under what circumstances. 19 Further detail on the methodology employed is available in the TURNUP project report. 20

Searches were conducted on 13 databases with date limits of January 1, 2000 to February 15, 2012: AMED, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Cochrane Library, Embase, HMIC, IEEE Xplore, Kings Fund Library Catalogue, Maternity and Infant Care, MEDLINE, PEDro, PsycINFO, SportDiscus, and Web of Science. The strategy used the concept of (reminders/prompts/alerts) in proximity to (appointments) ( Figure 1 ). Where supported, appropriate database headings/thesaurus terms were used. The reference lists of included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and SRs were screened for additional relevant studies and citation (forward-) searches were performed in respect of the included RCTs. English-language studies of various quantitative and qualitative designs were included if they investigated the effectiveness of outpatient appointment reminders, appointment attendance behavior, or explicated theories/models/frameworks relating to reminder systems or appointment attendance. Studies were excluded if they investigated reminders sent to a patient inviting them to schedule an appointment. All members of the project team were involved in screening and selection of studies and data extraction from included studies.

Example search strategy.

Note: Example search strategy: CINAHL Plus with Fulltext, MEDLINE, SportDiscus (via EBSCO) 2000 to January 11, 2012.

We could find few pre-existing conceptual models or frameworks that directly explain the mechanisms by which reminder systems support appointment attendance. We therefore drew on a variety of models that have been developed to understand behavior in relation to medical adherence. Included models related to use of reminders to promote clinical outcomes; 21 health care utilization theory; 22 the theory of planned behavior; 23 the trans-theoretical model; 24 self-determination theory; 25 protection motivation theory; 26 rationale choice theory; 27 and complexity theory. 28 Our conceptual framework was developed through an iterative process involving examination of the various theories and discussions about context, mechanisms, and outcomes that were important to explain how reminder systems work to promote attendance, for whom, and in what circumstances. The framework consisted of six broad factors that could potentially influence the effectiveness of the reminder or whether patients would attend, cancel or reschedule their appointment, namely: the reminder-patient interaction, reminder accessibility, health care settings, wider social factors, cancellation and rebooking systems, and patient attributes. This framework was then used to support data extraction.

Our SR of effectiveness investigated the impact of reminder systems on improvements in attendance, cancellations, and rescheduling of appointments. The questions addressed in this were: 1) how effective are reminder systems at reducing non-attendance at appointments and increasing cancellation/rescheduling of appointments? and 2) which types of reminder systems are most effective in improving the uptake of health service appointments? We used standardized methods to select, quality assess, extract and synthesize the findings of SRs and RCTs. 29 The Critical Appraisal Skills Program appraisal tool for RCTs was used to quality assess those RCTs not already assessed in pre-existing SRs. 30 The quality of the included SRs was assessed against the criteria used by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination when evaluating reviews for inclusion in the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects. 31 We used these quality assessments to moderate our interpretation of the review findings, not to exclude the papers. 32

Our evidence synthesis aimed to explore the differential effectiveness of reminder systems for particular population sub-groups; to identify contexts and mechanisms which influence the effectiveness of different reminder systems for particular population sub-groups; and identify any disadvantages which should be considered when introducing reminder systems for specific populations. The data extraction framework used the six elements of the conceptual framework. In accordance with realist principles, not all potentially relevant papers identified from the screening contributed to the synthesis. 33 All RCTs investigating reminder systems and all reviews (systematic and otherwise) about reminder systems and appointment systems were prioritized for full extraction of contextual and explanatory variables. Whereas RCTs were required to meet minimum quality standards in order to be included in the effectiveness SR, the studies excluded from this SR still had the potential to contribute to the evidence synthesis informed by realist principles. In many cases findings from such studies contributed to the evidence base regarding the mechanisms and contexts that shape the operation of reminder systems in real world settings. Examination of the trial evidence was followed by exploration of qualitative, mixed-methods and non-RCT quantitative studies about reminders and appointments for Europe, America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Thematic analysis was used to examine the evidence available for each section of the framework. Subsequently a narrative synthesis was developed that sought to explain the context and mechanisms influencing how reminders support attendance, cancellation, and rebooking.

The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) flowchart ( Figure 2 ) shows the numbers of included papers for review 2 and 3. Preliminary database searches yielded 638 unique papers; a further 139 were identified from subsequent searches. Following the screening stages, 466 potentially relevant papers were identified. Eleven SRs met the inclusion criteria for review 2 ( Table 1 ). 16 – 18 , 34 – 41 These SRs either examined a single technology, eg, an SR of short message service (SMS) reminder systems, 17 or explored the role of information technologies along a patient care pathway, one of which might be appointment reminder systems. 41 The quality of included reviews was variable ( Table 2 ). The five Cochrane reviews had been scrutinized against the highest quality standards. 16 , 18 , 34 , 36 , 40 Four reviews passed the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination SR quality threshold. 17 , 35 , 39 , 41 Two reviews did not pass the minimum standard for SRs. 37 , 38

PRISMA flowchart for review 2 and 3.

Abbreviations: PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; SRs, systematic reviews; RCTs, randomized controlled trials; TI, titles; AB, abstracts.

Reminder technologies covered by each review

Abbreviation: SMS, short message service.

Reviews included in this review with an assessment of their quality

Note: We acknowledge the assistance of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination in providing quality assessments for included reviews, including the Stubbs et al 41 review which was provided on demand.

Abbreviations: RCT, randomized controlled trial; RR, relative risk; CI, confidence interval; CRD, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination; SMS, short message service; DARE, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects; DNA, did not attend; NHS, UK National Health Service.

Of the 31 RCTs that met our inclusion criteria for review 2 , 4 , 42 – 72 only ten were uniquely identified by our review. The included RCTs related to the use of systems to remind patients to attend a health-related appointment that had already been scheduled ( Table 3 ). The majority of the included RCTs examined either automated telephone reminders (15/31) or SMS texting services (12/31). Seven RCTs examined personalized telephone calls and 9/31 studies examined postal (letter/postcard) reminders. In most studies the comparator was no intervention. The principal functions of the various reminder systems were reminder only, reminder requiring confirmation, reminder plus orientation or reminder plus supporting clinical information. A variety of attendance related outcomes were measured. These included attendance, cancellation, rescheduling, and patient satisfaction. A judgement of the quality of the uniquely identified RCTs is shown in Table 4 .

Reminder technologies assessed and outcomes reported by each RCT

Abbreviations: N, number of participants in study; RCT, randomized controlled trial; SMS, short message service; CI, confidence interval; IVR, interactive voice response; FS, flexible sigmoidoscopy; NDC, Nurse-delivered calls.

Judgement on quality of included trials (not already covered in included reviews)

Abbreviations: FTA, failed to attend; SMS, short message service; IT, information technology; RCT, randomized controlled trial; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; IVR, interactive voice response; FS, flexible sigmoidoscopy; DNA, did not attend; GUM, genitourinary medicine; CT, computerized tomography; NHS, UK National Health Service; ENT, ear, nose and throat.

Reminders increase attendance at appointments

There was consistent evidence that reminder systems improve appointment attendance across a range of health care settings and patient population sub-groups. Only one of the 31 RCTs did not show a significant reduction in non-attendance. 48 “Simple reminders”, which provide details of date, time, and location of appointments, were most frequently investigated. “Reminder plus”, which provides additional information (eg, orientation information, health information, etc) over and above date, time, and location of the appointment, was less commonly investigated. Both were effective at reducing non-attendance.

There was consistent, strong evidence from SRs 16 , 34 , 35 , 37 , 41 and RCTs 32 , 65 that simple reminders are effective at increasing attendance at appointments compared with no reminder. In SRs, the pooled effects of simple reminders on appointment attendance vs no reminder indicated significant increases in attendance, with relative risks ranging between 1.06–1.10. 34 , 35 One SR reported a weighted mean relative change of 34% from the baseline non-attendance rate. 37 In RCTs the difference in attendance between subjects who received reminders and those who did not ranged from 5% in an Australian physiotherapy clinic to 44% in an Indian dental preventive care clinic. 4 , 66 There was strong evidence from SRs 16 , 34 , 35 and RCTs 42 , 65 that there is no differential effectiveness between different reminder technologies, eg, SMS reminders, phone call reminders or other reminders.

There was weak, but consistent evidence from five studies that “Reminder plus” is more effective than simple reminders at reducing non-attendance. Examples of “Reminder plus” interventions include SMS notification of appointment with a health promotional message or postal reminders with additional information about medical procedures and the importance of follow-up. 70 , 72 A Cochrane Review 40 of the effects of reminders on clinic attendance for those with suspected serious mental illness, identified one small study favoring a letter with an orientation statement (ie, a short paragraph, taking about 30 seconds to read, explaining the program of care, the fee system, and providing gentle encouragement) over a simple letter prompting attendance. 73 A second SR to assess the effect of reminder systems on non-attendance rates at new outpatient appointments, found limited evidence in three studies, that “Reminder plus” was more effective than simple reminders. 38 In these studies, the reminders threatened sanctions for non-attendance, offered rewards for attendance or provided orientation information about the clinic.

Reminders promote cancellation/reallocation of appointments

There is evidence from three RCTs that personal phone reminders significantly increase patient cancellation and rescheduling rates. 54 , 64 , 67 Patients who received a telephone reminder were more likely to cancel or reschedule their appointment (17%–26%) compared with a control group who had received no reminder (8%–12%). 54 , 67 , 74 Clinics were then able to re-allocate between 27% to 40% of the cancelled appointment slots. 54 , 65 , 74 Telephone reminders carry the inherent advantage that patients who are unable to attend can cancel and/or reschedule their appointment at the time of their contact with staff. 67 We also found strong evidence that SMS reminders do not increase appointment cancellation or rescheduling, 75 – 77 however this may be because SMS reminders are not conventionally deployed with this in mind.

Reminder systems are not optimally employed

Our review found sufficient strong consistent evidence to indicate that the performance of reminders, and therefore appointment systems, is suboptimal. Six key areas which lead to sub-optimal reminder effectiveness were identified.

Accuracy of patient records

Patient contact details are frequently incorrect or out-of-date. 78 , 79 The likelihood of inaccurate patient records corresponds with populations at greater risk of non-attendance, 80 including less geographically stable communities such as students, young adults or socio-economically deprived groups who may frequently change address or telephone numbers. 81

Reminders may not be received

Successful contact rates for telephone reminders are low ranging from 30% to 60% in most health care settings. Reasons for non-receipt of telephone reminders are that landline calls are often made during business hours (9 am–5 pm), during the working week (Monday to Friday), when it is likely that patients will be out. 82 In addition, non-receipt may occur because patients do not have a telephone, they do not answer the telephone or the contact number was incorrect. 74 , 83 Most telephone reminder systems do not leave messages for reasons of confidentiality.

SMS reminders are reported to have successful contact rates of 97%–99%. 79 , 84 Successful contact is assumed when the mobile phone indicates “message sent” being received by the sender. 44 , 59 , 66 However, many patients may either not receive their SMS reminder or may receive and ignore a reminder that was not intended for them due to incorrect data entry on hospital systems. 77 , 79 Some clients may not receive their text message until after their scheduled appointment because of delays in delivery of the text or because their phones were switched off, out of battery or out of credit. 85 One disadvantage of using SMS reminders alone is the different levels of access to a mobile telephone. Mobile phone ownership declines sharply with increasing age, 86 , 87 although the total numbers of older people with mobile phone are increasing annually.

Understanding the reminder

Cognitive ability, literacy level, and language determine patient comprehension of reminders, irrespective of format. These are important considerations for health services serving older populations, travelling communities, inner-city deprived populations, and multilingual communities. The studies included in our review did not explore these factors. Two RCTs explicitly excluded patients who did not speak the official language (English) fluently, those with dementia, or with significant cognitive impairment. 68 , 88 Only one RCT used multilingual research assistants to make the reminder phone call. 65 Reminder systems can cater for different languages. 41 , 66

Timing of reminders

We found strong evidence that the timing of reminders, between 1 and 7 days prior to the scheduled appointment, has no adverse effect on patient attendance behavior. 37 , 89 SMS or telephone reminders are typically sent either the day before or on the day of the health care appointment. 49 , 57 , 63 Sending the reminder close to the appointment means that the patient may either not have time to act on it or they may receive the reminder after the allotted appointment time. 65 Sending reminders early allows patients to re-arrange commitments, which may increase the likelihood of a patient attending, cancelling or rescheduling. 54 , 64 , 67

Patient does not cancel or re-schedule the appointment

There are numerous reasons why patients fail to either cancel or reschedule their appointment. Simple reminders rarely ask patients to cancel appointments, particularly SMS reminders where space for text is limited. 46 , 62 Some SMS reminders ask patients to call a telephone number rather than replying to the text. 4 , 57 Patients frequently encounter problems accessing health care systems which can thwart their intention to cancel and rebook. 86 , 90 Problems include difficulties accessing central booking lines, including the phone being engaged, having to wait a long time to speak to someone or the call being disconnected with no option to wait or leave a message. 91 , 92 In some cases, patients were warned by others of the difficulties of accessing a central booking line, which deterred them from making contact. 86 In two studies, patients who failed to attend stated that they had already phoned or written to cancel their appointment, indicating difficulties with cancellation systems or internal hospital communication prevented cancellations being passed on to the relevant clinic. 81 , 86

Lack of tailoring to high risk groups

There was weak evidence that patient age has no impact on reminder effectiveness, suggesting reminder systems can be employed across all age groups. 18 However, few studies have investigated the differential impact of reminder systems between population sub-groups. There was weak but consistent evidence that deprivation, minority ethnicity, substance abuse, mental health problems, and comorbidities/illness are associated with non-attendance at appointments. 93 , 94 There was little evidence of tailoring of reminder systems to meet the needs of these groups of patients.

This review found consistent, strong evidence that all reminder systems are effective at reducing non-attendance at appointments across diverse service contexts and patient populations. There is no clear indication of differential effectiveness between different simple reminder systems. However, there is some evidence that “Reminder plus” interventions can be more effective than simple reminders. Our review of the available evidence suggests that “Reminder plus” may result in higher attendance than simple reminders for first appointments and screening appointments and that for subsequent follow-up appointments simple reminders and “Reminder plus” may produce comparable increases in attendance for most patients most of the time. However, further research employing appropriate comparative designs is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.

There is also strong consistent evidence that reminders can increase patient cancellation/rebooking rates, however the success may depend to some extent upon the nature and the timing of the reminder. We found only three studies investigating this area of effectiveness, 54 , 64 , 67 therefore further research exploring the effectiveness of reminder systems to promote cancellation/rebooking and rescheduling of appointments is warranted.

Based on the findings presented in this review, the small amount of evidence that some patients find reminders intrusive or confusing is outweighed by the benefits. 95 The use of reminders appears to be both acceptable and feasible across a range of health care settings, 42 , 65 and we therefore propose that all patients should receive a reminder and that all health care services operating outpatient appointment systems should employ reminder systems.

Whilst reminder systems can increase attendance, cancellation, rescheduling and reallocation of appointments, this review identified six key factors which limit the efficiency of both reminder and appointment systems. Reminder systems are often employed with the objective of increasing attendance rates, with limited attention given to cancellation and/or rescheduling of appointments. Full attendance at appointments is unlikely to be achievable; therefore appointment cancellation and rescheduling should be seen as desirable outcomes. Appointment systems can be optimized if patients cancel and reschedule unwanted appointments, allowing health care services to re-allocate the cancelled appointment to a different patient. If appointment and reminder systems are to realize their full potential this will require a whole systems approach to looking at the characteristics of current systems for attendance, cancellation, rescheduling and re-allocation of appointments to other patients. A summary of proposed strategies is outlined in Figure 3 and discussed in greater detail to follow.

Summary of strategies to optimize reminder systems.

Optimization strategies

Health services, particularly those serving geographically less stable communities, should have robust procedures for maintaining and updating patient records. 81

In many health services it will be relevant to consider the use of both simple reminders and “Reminder plus”. Depending on the nature of the information provided, “Reminder plus” may help patients to feel more confident about attending their appointment, particularly for first appointments and screening appointments. 56 , 96 Thereafter, the use of simple reminders may be sufficient for increasing attendance at follow-up appointments in most health care settings.

Since the timing of appointment reminders appears to have no appreciable impact on attendance behavior when delivered up to 7 days before an appointment, we propose that reminders should be delivered early enough to allow patients to re-arrange commitments so that they can attend the appointment and receive the care that they need. Alternatively, if unable to attend, patients will have sufficient time to cancel and reschedule their appointments and allow health services to re-allocate and rebook appointments. 54 , 64 , 67 To support and enhance rescheduling it is appropriate to frame reminders to ask patients to cancel and rebook inconvenient appointments. In addition, robust structures, which are easy to navigate and which require minimal effort from the patient, are required to support cancellation. Automated methods of cancellation, eg, SMS messages or email, are perceived by many patients as easier than methods which require direct contact since they offer flexibility to cancel at a time convenient to the patient and reduce the need to provide explanations for cancellation. 18 , 34 Following cancellation of appointments, rescheduling of the appointment, if it has not occurred synchronously, also needs to be easy for the patient. For example it may be sensible, in some health care settings, to have central booking lines which are open 24 hours a day.

There is little evidence of tailoring of reminder systems to meet the needs of vulnerable groups of patients who are at high risk of non-attendance; this includes deprived and ethnic groups, substance abusers, and populations with co-morbidity and illness. 93 , 94 Given the likely coincidence of higher levels of non-attendance and health need, it is in the interests of health services to monitor whether specific groups of patients are being disadvantaged by the chosen reminder systems. Simple reminders and automated reminders may be ignored, overlooked or misunderstood, particularly if patients are experiencing an increase of their health problem. We therefore hypothesize that reminders with direct personal contact might be appropriate in these groups, since the flexibility of information, advice or support which can be offered may help to overcome barriers to attendance or to cancel unwanted appointments. To facilitate attendance in these groups more intensive reminder systems are advocated. Examples of this include sequential reminders which were effective at improving attendance in a Swiss AIDS clinic. 65 This consisted of: first, a phone call to either landline or mobile; second, an SMS if participants do not answer the phone after three attempts and have a mobile phone; and finally a postal reminder if participants do not answer the phone, have no mobile phone or landline at all. Intensive approaches, such as “stepped reminders” and patient navigators have also been effective at increasing attendance at screening and immunization programs in disadvantaged and vulnerable populations and might also be effective at reengaging similar groups of patients who have dropped out of treatment. 36 , 97 – 99 Such designs, though labor intensive would reach the maximum number of participants and may increase attendance rates and simultaneously have a cost benefit.

An effective reminder and cancellation system will increase the already heavy workload of outpatient clinics. 52 Clinicians frequently fill missed appointments with alternative activities such as completing dictation, making telephone calls or consulting with colleagues. 56 If building in processes to optimize cancellation and rescheduling, then health services will need also to consider the impact on staff that frequently utilize non-attendance at appointments as an opportunity to catch up on other health care related activities.

Strengths and limitations

Our approach to this review, which combined an SR with an evidence synthesis informed by realist principles, has numerous strengths, including a structured search protocol requiring thorough searches of electronic databases, reference lists, and citations. As a consequence we believe that we have assembled the widest possible body of relevant knowledge which has relevance across all health care services which use appointment systems. In addition, our review informed by realist principles includes the strong embedding of our findings in the extracted data. This stems from the practical orientation of our review and facilitates the production of implications for practice. There are also limitations to our review. Generally speaking the SR method seeks to provide a precise answer to a tightly focused question. Such reviews are most useful where there is a high degree of homogeneity around the five PICOS elements, namely the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study types. A wide range of population types, intervention, comparison, and outcomes is included within the RCTs we identified. However, use of this wider approach offers greater analytical capability in terms of understanding contextual and mechanistic factors that would not have been evident in a more narrowly focused review and increases confidence that the findings have relevance in a wide range of service settings.

Research implications

We recommend future research activities in three main areas. Firstly, more studies should routinely consider the potential for differential effects of reminder systems between patient groups in order to identify any inequalities and remedies. Secondly, “Reminder plus” systems appear promising but there is a need for further research to understand how they influence attendance behavior. Finally, further research is required to identify strategies to “optimize” reminder systems and compare performance against current approaches.

In the absence of clear contraindications all health services should use simple reminders or “Reminder plus” for all patients. More intensive reminder alternatives may be relevant for key groups of patients: deprived, ethnic, substance abusers, and those with comorbidities and illness.

There is evidence that reminders are used sub-optimally. To optimize appointment and reminder systems, health services should tailor reminder systems and adopt supportive administrative processes to enhance attendance, cancellation, rescheduling, and reallocation of appointments to other patients.

Acknowledgments

The TURNUP project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Program (project number 10/2002/49). The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the HS&DR program, NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health. This paper or the abstract of this paper has been presented as a platform presentation at the World Congress of Physical Therapy, Singapore in May 2015 and will also be presented as a platform presentation at Physiotherapy UK in October 2015, Liverpool UK. The abstract was published in Physiotherapy Journal : http://www.physiotherapyuk.org.uk/presentation/appointment-reminder-systems-are-effective-not-optimal-results-systematic-review-and. The actual paper, however, has never been published.

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

How to remind patients they're due for preventive care

As part of your efforts to manage the health of your patient population, you may send out reminders to patients recommending that they schedule preventive services such as physicals, Pap smears, or colon cancer screenings. Megan Lykke, MD, FAAFP, of Grand Junction, Colo., advises sending these reminders out according to patients’ birth months, rather than sending them all at once. This can help to more evenly distribute demand for preventive appointments throughout the year and ensure appointment availability.

Read more Practice Pearls from your colleagues in FPM . Got a pearl you’d like to share? Comment below or send it to FPM.

• Career management
• Patient care
• Practice management
• RSS ( About RSS )

Other Blogs

• Getting Paid  from FPM journal
• AFP Community Blog
• Fresh Perspectives
• In the Trenches
• Leader Voices

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the opinions and views of the American Academy of Family Physicians. This blog is not intended to provide medical, financial, or legal advice. All comments are moderated and will be removed if they violate our  Terms of Use .

Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

• Home & Family Templates

Doctor Visits Template

Description:

Track planned visits to healthcare facilities with the customizable Doctor Visits Template. Write down information of the name of the medical clinic, fill in the date and time of the visit, record the phone numbers of the receptionist or doctors. Together with this useful template, you will not miss a single appointment with the doctor, thanks to which you can more effectively get treatment, take medications on time and restore your health faster.

Sections available in this template:

• Clinic / Hospital;
• Reason For Visit;
• Next Appointment.

Select theme

Printing layout and cutting marks preview

Almost there!

It may take some time to generate your template… Shall we send it via email?

Enter your email address and click the button below to get instant access to the template you chose.

Shall we send it via email?

Customer reviews

This is an awesome planner with lots of customization options for personal and work planning.

Purchased item:

I’m not great with technology and she went out of her way to help me. I really recommend this seller. She stands behind her products and gives great support. I most definitely would buy from her again! Highly recommend!

Great addition to my planner printable collection!

. . . . . Ok

fast and easy, so many options! really helpful for a newbie such as myself :)

Write a Review

Recommended for you, other templates:.

• Start Date / Final Date
• Neck, Chest, Biceps, Waist, Hips, Thighs, Calf
• I Am Doing This Because
• Body Measurement Tracker

• Daily Health Tracker
• Daily Overview
• Hours Sleep
• Pain Location(s)
• Food/Drink Tracker
• Activity Tracker
• Notes & Doodles

• Blood Sugar Tracker
• Target Range
• Meal (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack)

• Blood Pressure

• All-in-One Access
• 2024 Calendars
• Kindle Scribe
• Christmas Planning
• For Teachers
• For Students
• Digital Planners
• Happy Planner
• Traveler's Notebook
• Print-ready planners
• About People
• Motivational
• Lined Paper
• Graph Paper
• Dot Grid Paper
• Cornell Notes
• Daily Calendars
• Weekly Calendar
• Monthly Undated
• Calendar Schedule
• Blank Calendars
• Photo Calendars
• Daily Schedule
• Daily Task List Templates
• Daily Timetable Templates
• Daily with To Do List
• Dated daily planner templates
• Daily hourly planner templates
• Daily Undated
• Weekly Horizontal
• Week at a Glance
• Weekly Hourly Planners
• Weekly with To Do List
• Single page per week
• Weekly Goals Templates
• Two pages per week
• Weekly Schedule
• Weekly Undated
• Weekly Meal
• Monthly Budget
• Monthly Goals Templates
• Monthly Meal Planners
• Bill tracker
• Expenses Tracker
• Finance Templates
• Household budget
• Weekly budget
• Personal budget
• Attendance Sheet
• Business Planning
• Client Management
• Contact Trackers
• Order Tracking
• Product & Supply
• Social Media
• Work Schedule
• Meeting Agenda
• Mileage Tracker
• SMART Goal Templates
• Goal Tracker Templates
• Life Goals Templates
• Goal Setting Templates
• Goal Setting Worksheets
• Checklist Templates
• Weight Loss Planners
• Fitness & Workout templates
• Wellness & Self-Care
• Food calendar templates
• Grocery & Shopping Lists
• Food Diary Templates
• Recipe Books
• Food Inventory
• Reading Log
• Chore Chart Templates
• Lesson Plan Templates
• Weekly Lesson Plan Templates
• Gradebook Templates
• Class Attendance Sheets
• Student Information Sheets
• Habit Tracker
• Mood Trackers
• Password Log
• Homeschooling
• Travel itinerary
• Packing list
• Wedding guest list
• Wedding plan checklists
• Wedding budget
• Invitations

Recently added:

• Digital Student Planner (Light Theme)
• Digital Life Planner
• 90-Day Gratitude Digital Journal (Light Theme)
• Mom's Digital Planner

Loading, just a moment...

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

How to find the right balance between telemedicine and in-person care

FILE - A patient sits in the living room of her apartment in the Brooklyn borough of New York during a telemedicine video conference with a physician on Jan. 14, 2019. Patients can now see an array of doctors without leaving their recliner thanks to telemedicine. But that doesn’t mean trips to the office should end. Finding the right balance between virtual and in-person visits can be a key to getting good care. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

FILE - A doctor examines a patient at a clinic in Stanford, Calif., on April 9, 2019. Patients can now see an array of doctors without leaving their recliner thanks to telemedicine. But that doesn’t mean trips to the office should end. Finding the right balance between virtual and in-person visits can be a key to getting good care. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)

• Copy Link copied

Patients can now see an array of doctors without leaving their recliner thanks to telemedicine. But that doesn’t mean trips to the office should end.

Finding the right balance between virtual and in-person visits can be a key to getting good care.

Here’s what you need to know about which form of care may be right for you and when.

WHAT IS TELEMEDICINE?

This generally refers to diagnosing and treating patients remotely. It’s often done over a secure video connection provided by the doctor’s office. You can use your smartphone, tablet or computer.

But telemedicine also can involve telephone calls or trading secure messages with someone from your doctor’s office to discuss test results or follow-up steps after an appointment.

It can be used to diagnose new health problems and monitor existing, long-term issues like diabetes.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ?

These virtual visits can save time and give patients more doctor choices. That’s especially important for those who live where in-person care options are slim or for patients who can’t take time off work to get to the doctor or lack transportation.

Telemedicine use exploded after COVID-19 hit in 2020. It has cooled since, but it remains more popular than it was before the pandemic, particularly in specialties like dermatology or mental health care.

Amazon now offers a telemedicine option in every state. And many companies sell subscription-based plans centered on virtual care. For those, patients pay a regular fee for doctor visits and mail-order prescriptions to treat high blood pressure, anxiety or hair loss, among other issues.

WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO A VALUABLE VISIT?

Test your phone or tablet before the visit starts. You will want to make sure both audio and video work properly. You may need time to adjust your device settings.

Make sure you’re in a room or location that offers privacy, especially for therapy sessions. That’s usually not a work cubicle, library or restaurant with public Wi-Fi.

Don’t drive, walk or eat while talking to the doctor. Aside from being unsafe, those habits also can be distracting for both the patient and physician, noted Dr. Jay Lee, a family physician who does both in-person and virtual visits.

WHAT ARE THE LIMITS?

Telemedicine needs a secure, fast internet connection, and some patients or doctors may lack the technology to do a virtual visit.

Sometimes physical exams are necessary.

Someone seeking help for a urinary tract infection — which can be treated by telemedicine — might actually have gallbladder problems. That could require an ultrasound during an in-person visit, noted Lee, a board member with the American Academy of Family Physicians.

There also may be limits to receiving telemedicine from doctors outside your state. Pandemic emergency declarations that made this easier have ended .

That can make follow-up care challenging if a patient travels to see a specialist.

“There aren’t that many pediatric specialists in all of the different conditions that can affect kids,” said Krista Drobac, founder of the Alliance for Connected Care, which advocates for telemedicine use.

WHAT’S THE RIGHT BALANCE?

That can depend on the patient’s comfort with telemedicine and the treatment they need.

In some cases, there is no balance if a patient lacks an in-person option or that visit is tough to schedule.

If possible, Lee recommends an initial visit in person and then telemedicine follow-ups. He says that first visit is important for any doctor or specialist you expect to see again.

Both the physician and patient need to determine whether they “have a vibe, that they can get along and that they can work together,” he said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Doctor Visits

Find and Access Preventive Services

Take Action

Preventive services include health care like screening tests, checkups, and vaccines. Unlike the care you get when you’re sick or managing a long-term condition, preventive care can help stop you from getting sick in the first place — or it can find health problems before they get worse, even before you have symptoms. 

Why do I need preventive care?

There are lots of great reasons to get preventive care. It can:

• Save your life. Screening tests and checkups can find health problems early, when they may be easier to treat. This includes serious diseases like cancer.
• Prevent disease . Some preventive services can keep health problems from developing. This includes vaccines and screenings for certain cancers, like cervical cancer.
• Help you save money . Finding and treating health problems early can help you avoid costly medical bills down the road. Plus, most insurance plans cover preventive services, and there are free or low-cost options if you don’t have insurance. 
• Offer peace of mind. Regular checkups are a chance for you to share concerns and ask questions about your health — and to get support from a doctor or other health care professional.

How to Get Preventive Care

Make an appointment with your doctor..

Talking with your doctor or nurse is a great first step to getting preventive care. They can tell you which screenings, vaccines, or other services you need — and answer any questions you may have. Together, you can make a plan to protect your health.

Looking for a new doctor or nurse? Use these tips to find the right fit .

Find free or low-cost preventive care.

Most health insurance plans cover preventive services at no cost to you — usually without a copay or deductible. 

But even if you don’t have health insurance, you can still get free or low-cost preventive care. Try these tips:

• Visit a community health center or clinic. Community health centers and clinics can offer affordable — or even free — preventive care. Find a health center near you . 
• Contact your local health department. Many health departments offer free health services, like flu vaccines, to people in the community. Your health department can also give advice on where to find additional free or low-cost health care services in your area. Use this interactive map to find your local health department.
• Look for volunteer clinics. Some communities offer free clinics run by volunteers for people who don’t have health insurance. Find a volunteer clinic near you.  
• Ask your local hospital about free screenings. Many hospitals offer free screening events. Contact your hospital’s customer service or community outreach department to learn what options are available.

If you’re getting health care through the Indian Health Service (IHS), use this tool to find preventive care near you. And if you’re a Veteran, you can get care at a VA location in your area. 

Look for free screening and testing programs for specific diseases.

There are also some free or low-cost programs to help you get screened or tested for specific diseases. For example:

• Screening for breast and cervical cancer: National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)
• Testing for HIV, STIs (sexually transmitted infections), and hepatitis: Get Tested search tool

Learn about insurance coverage for preventive services.

If you have private health insurance:.

Private health insurance means you’re getting your insurance through an employer or the Health Insurance Marketplace. Under the Affordable Care Act, private health insurance plans must cover many preventive services. Depending on your insurance plan and other factors like your age, you may be able to get these and other preventive services at no cost to you:

• Blood pressure , diabetes , and cholesterol tests
• Many cancer screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies
• Counseling on topics like quitting smoking , losing weight , eating healthy , treating depression , and drinking less alcohol
• Vaccines to protect against diseases like the flu, whooping cough, measles, and meningitis
• Counseling, screening, and vaccines to help you have a healthy pregnancy
• Regular well-baby and well-child visits

Keep in mind that you may be charged a portion of the cost if a preventive service isn’t the main reason for your doctor’s visit or if you’re seeing an out-of-network provider. To avoid unexpected medical bills, ask your doctor before your appointment what services will be covered — or check with your insurance company.

To learn more, check out these resources about: 

• Free preventive care covered by the Affordable Care Act
• How the Affordable Care Act protects you  
• Understanding your health insurance and how to use it [PDF - 698 KB]  

If you have Medicaid:

Medicaid covers certain preventive services at no cost, like vaccines and recommended screenings and tests. It also covers counseling to help you manage long-term health conditions and support healthy changes, like quitting smoking. You can:

• Find out more about getting preventive care through Medicaid
• Contact your state’s Medicaid agency for detailed information

If you have Medicare:

Medicare also covers certain preventive services at no cost. To learn about Medicare and preventive care:

• Browse this list of covered services
• Use this tool to see what Medicare covers

If you’re uninsured, explore options for getting health insurance.

There are different options for getting health insurance coverage — and it may be more affordable than you think. To get started, you can:

• Check to see if you’re eligible for Medicaid. The Medicaid program provides health insurance for families with low incomes, pregnant people, people with disabilities, and people in certain other groups. Find Medicaid coverage in your state.   
• Enroll your children in CHIP. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covers children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private health insurance. Learn more about CHIP.
• Explore the Health Insurance Marketplace. The Marketplace offers health insurance plans for anyone who needs it. How much you’ll pay for coverage depends on how much money your family earns. Read this quick guide to Marketplace coverage or find local help.

Content last updated June 7, 2024

Reviewer Information

This information on preventive services was adapted from materials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Reviewed by: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Review Team.

You may also be interested in:

Get Screened

Take Charge of Your Health Care

Get Your Medicare Wellness Visit Every Year

The office of disease prevention and health promotion (odphp) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website..

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• What to Do After a Tick Bite
• Communication Resources
• Tickborne Disease Continuing Education
• Tickborne Diseases of the United States

Related Topics:

• Show All Home
• Vector-Borne Diseases
• If you find a tick attached to your skin, simply remove the tick as soon as possible.
• There are several tick removal devices on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers works very well.
• If you develop a rash or fever within several days to weeks after removing a tick, see your doctor.

Tick Bite Bot

The Tick Bite Bot is an interactive tool that will assist individuals on removing attached ticks and determining when to seek health care, if appropriate, after a tick bite.

The online mobile-friendly tool asks a series of questions covering topics such as tick attachment time and symptoms. Based on the user's responses, the tool then provides information about recommended actions and resources.

A tool to assist people in removing attached ticks and seeking health care, if appropriate, after a tick bite.

Get Started About the Tool

How to remove a tick

• Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
• After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.

A word of caution‎

Avoid: testing of ticks.

People who have removed a tick sometimes wonder if they should have it tested for evidence of infection. Although some commercial groups offer testing, in general this is not recommended, because:

• Laboratories that conduct tick testing are not required to have the high standards of quality control used by clinical diagnostic laboratories. Results of tick testing should not be used for treatment decisions.
• Positive results showing that the tick contains a disease-causing organism do not necessarily mean that you have been infected.
• Negative results can lead to false assurance. You may have been unknowingly bitten by a different tick that was infected.
• If you have been infected, you will probably develop symptoms before results of the tick test are available. If you do become ill, you should not wait for tick testing results before beginning appropriate treatment.

However, you may want to learn to identify various ticks . Different ticks live in different parts of the country and transmit different diseases .

If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor:

• Tell the doctor about your recent tick bite,
• When the bite occurred, and
• Where you most likely acquired the tick.

What to do after a tick bite - Fact Sheet

In the United States, ticks can spread germs that make people sick. Learn where ticks live, how to prevent tick bites, and what to do after a tick bite.

For Everyone

Health care providers.

BREAKING: Dornoch wins the Belmont Stakes

The first pill for postpartum depression is finally getting to patients. Doctors say it’s working.

It was supposed to be an exciting time. The new mother had just given birth at age 42, after a much-desired pregnancy. But within a week, she developed postpartum depression.

The medical condition — characterized by extreme sadness, anxiety or despair following childbirth — affects up to 1 in 5 women .

At five months postpartum, the woman was stuck in a haze, said Dr. Misty Richards, medical director of perinatal psychiatry at the Maternal Outpatient Mental Health Services Clinic at UCLA Health, who treated the patient and described her experience to NBC News.

“She wasn’t taking showers. She wasn’t eating,” Richards said, adding that the woman’s husband had taken a leave of absence from work to care for his wife and new baby.

Richards’ clinic has treated hundreds of these patients. At first, she connected the woman to an intensive outpatient program, but even while attending, the patient was actively suicidal, Richards said.

That’s when Richards prescribed zuranolone — the first-ever pill to treat postpartum depression .

The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in August, but it took months for supply to become available. Several psychiatrists said they’re just starting to write their first prescriptions, since it has taken time to find good candidates for the drug who are willing to take it. They hope it will be a game changer because it’s fast-acting and can be taken at home.

Richards said the woman who took zuranolone, the first of her patients so far, saw her depression symptoms start to resolve around three days in. The patient was seeing dramatic results as of day eight and didn’t experience any side effects.

“She tells me she feels like she just woke up,” Richards said, adding: “I truly feel like I’m meeting her for the first time. Her husband was in tears, super grateful. Just a major, grand slam success story — which, by the way, we don’t tend to see in psychiatry.”

Postpartum depression can have severe consequences for mothers and their children. For moms, it may increase the risk of suicide, high blood pressure, diabetes or stroke. Mental illness, suicide and drug overdoses are the leading causes of death in the first year after a woman gives birth. Children born to mothers with postpartum depression, meanwhile, are more likely to have developmental delays and emotional or behavioral problems , and have a greater risk of dying before one year .

Before zuranolone, the only available treatment was an intravenous injection approved in 2019. But it comes with a risk of excessive sedation and sudden loss of consciousness, so only certain treatment centers are allowed to administer it and patients must stay in the hospital for 2 1/2 days. Other women with the condition are given standard antidepressants, but those usually take weeks to start working. (Zuranolone can be taken alongside widely used antidepressants).

The FDA fast-tracked zuranolone in 2017 — a step taken for drugs that could treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. In a pair of clinical trials , it was shown to improve symptoms of severe postpartum depression — such as anxiety, difficulty sleeping, loss of pleasure, low energy, guilt or social withdrawal — as early as three days in. The pills are taken daily for two weeks, in the evening with a fatty meal.

The medication isn’t ideal for mild postpartum depression, or the “baby blues,” doctors said. Instead, they’re considering it for patients who have a hard time caring for themselves or their babies — in other words, those for whom medical intervention could be lifesaving.

Challenges in prescribing the new pill

Despite the potential benefits of zuranolone, psychiatrists said some patients are hesitant to take a drug that’s new to the market, wary of side effects or concerned about practical barriers.

Zuranolone can cause drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, fatigue and urinary tract infections. So far, doctors said they’ve heard of patients experiencing drowsiness or dizziness, but not to an extreme degree.

Because of this effect, however, the medication comes with a warning not to drive or operate heavy machinery for at least 12 hours after taking it.

Dr. Uruj Kamal Haider, medical director of consultation services at the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms, said some patients have expressed concern that they’ll be too tired to feed their babies at night. She recommends that patients have another caretaker in the house overnight.

“If they have toddlers and they don’t have someone at home to watch the baby or other children at night, that can be very challenging to be on a medication that can make you feel very drowsy,” she said.

Other patients have declined the medication due to a lack of safety data on breastfeeding, Haider added. A small amount of zuranolone can pass from mother to child through breast milk, but studies haven’t evaluated if it poses any harm.

Richards said she recommends that new moms discard their breast milk while taking zuranolone.

But Dr. Julia Frew, a psychiatrist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, said she suspects that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risk of medication exposure, particularly since the transfer of other antidepressants through breast milk hasn’t been shown to pose a significant risk.

“I think it could be a very reasonable choice for someone to continue breastfeeding while they’re taking it,” she said. “Some people may be uncomfortable with that, and they may want to choose to pump and dump.”

Additionally, zuranolone is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance — in the same class as Xanax — meaning there’s a low risk of addiction.

“I don’t think we really know the addictive potential. There’s hope that it’s not addictive,” said Dr. Katrina Furey, a clinical instructor in the Yale School of Medicine’s psychiatry department.

Patients report improvements

Haider said one of her patients has completed a 14-day course of zuranolone, and the woman’s symptoms started to improve by day four.

“The only side effect was the drowsiness at night, and that was gone by the morning,” she said. The woman welcomed the drowsiness, Haider added, since it helped her sleep.

Frew similarly said she has had one patient finish zuranolone this year. The woman had chronic depression before her pregnancy, which got significantly worse postpartum. Other medications had failed to treat her symptoms, but zuranolone offered some relief, she said.

But it’s not yet known whether zuranolone has a lasting effect. In trials, patients saw a benefit for up to four weeks, but the studies didn’t follow people for longer than that.

“We don’t know yet if people are going to need booster doses down the road,” Furey said.

A ‘cumbersome, clunky’ insurance process

Some psychiatrists said they’ve struggled with the process of getting zuranolone approved by insurance companies.

The medication must go through one of five specialty pharmacies and be delivered to patients by mail.

“You cannot pick up zuranolone from your local CVS,” Haider said.

Insurance companies also have varying requirements about how severe patients’ symptoms need to be to get zuranolone covered. Some insurers require people to have tried and failed a standard antidepressant first.

“It’s a cumbersome, clunky process,” Richards said, adding that many patients don’t have time to wait for the kinks to iron out or actively manage their deliveries.

“If someone is severely depressed — and that is the reason you would be prescribing zuranolone instead of anything else — asking them to kind of wait for this process and then to engage in this process, it is hard,” she added.

Nevertheless, psychiatrists said they’re eager to recommend the drug to patients.

“I’ve started telling all my patients about it,” Furey said. “Just so they know it’s available and they know that there is this new option.”

Aria Bendix is the breaking health reporter for NBC News Digital.