Bulk SMS for medical practices
SMS appointment reminders for medical practices
Remind patients the day before, let them confirm by reply, and ask them to call when you need to speak to them. Bulk SMS works for doctors, dentists, physios, optometrists and vets.
- Confirm by reply
- Excel, CSV or API
- From 22c a reminder
Smile Dental: Your appointment with Dr Naidoo is tomorrow at 10:00. Reply YES to confirm or call 021 123 4567 to move it.
Parkview Family Practice: Please call us on 012 123 4567 about your recent visit.
Happy Paws Vet: Bella is due for her annual vaccination. Reply BOOK and we'll call you to set a time. Reply STOP to opt out.
Bulk SMS for medical practices
What practices send by SMS
Reminders, recalls and notices without any medical details in the message. Recalls invite a new booking, so they end with the opt-out line.
Smile Dental: Your appointment with Dr Naidoo is tomorrow at 10:00. Reply YES to confirm or call 021 123 4567 to move it.
Smile Dental: It's time for your 6-month check-up. Reply BOOK and we'll call you to find a time. Reply STOP to opt out.
Parkview Family Practice: Please call us on 012 123 4567 about your recent visit.
Parkview Family Practice: We're closed this Friday for staff training. For emergencies, call 012 123 4567.
Parkview Family Practice: Flu vaccines are now available. Call 012 123 4567 to book. Reply STOP to opt out.
Happy Paws Vet: Bella is due for her annual vaccination. Reply BOOK and we'll call you to set a time. Reply STOP to opt out.
Why SMS
Why SMS reminders work for practices
Day-before reminders
Send tomorrow's reminders every afternoon, from a list or straight from your system.
Confirm by reply
Patients reply YES to confirm, so you know which slots are safe and which to fill.
Recalls
Bring patients back for check-ups, vaccinations and annual reviews.
Excel, CSV or API
Upload an export from your practice software, or connect it through the SMS API.
Privacy first
Messages carry times and practice details, never diagnoses or results.
A delivery record
Delivery reports show that each reminder reached the patient's phone.
Getting started
Set up appointment reminders in four steps
Export tomorrow's list
Export the next day's appointments from your practice software to Excel or CSV.
Upload and personalise
Add each patient's name, time and doctor to the message from your spreadsheet.
Send in the afternoon
Send reminders the afternoon before, so patients have time to move a slot.
Check the replies
See who confirmed, and phone the patients who didn't.
What SMS reminders cost a practice
Here's a typical month for a practice that sees 30 patients a day.
| Message | How many | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Day-before reminders | 30 × 22 days | 660 |
| Recalls and practice notices | 150 | 150 |
| Total a month | 810 |
The Starter pack (1,000 SMS for R300) covers a month like this, at 30c a reminder. Bigger packs bring it down to 22c. Prices are final, with no VAT added.
SMS packsPer SMS · Pack
- 1,000 SMSR0.30R300
- 5,000 SMSR0.27R1,350
- 10,000 SMSR0.25R2,500
- 20,000 SMSR0.23R4,600
- 50,000 SMSR0.22R11,000
Final prices · No VAT added · No monthly fees
Patient privacy and SMS
POPIA treats health information as special personal information, and an SMS can be read by anyone holding the phone. Keep messages to names, times, dates and practice details.
- Never put a diagnosis, test result or medication in an SMS. Ask the patient to call instead.
- Only send to the patient's own number, or to a parent or guardian for a child.
- Keep recalls and reminders to your own patients. The HPCSA's ethical rules forbid canvassing for patients, so don't send promotions to people who aren't your patients.
- If you promote a service, like flu vaccines, to your patients, end with Reply STOP to opt out.
The afternoon before an appointment works well. Promotions, like a flu vaccine drive, count as marketing and must go out on weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00 or Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00, unless the patient agreed to other times.
Vets fall under the South African Veterinary Council, not the HPCSA, so check its rules before sending promotions. POPIA applies to owners' details. Keep reminders to clients you've seen.
Questions
Questions practices ask
Can SMS reminders work with our practice software?
If your software can export appointments to Excel or CSV, you can upload them each day. If it can call an API, it can send reminders automatically through our SMS API.
Is it POPIA-compliant to SMS patients?
Yes, when you keep health details out of the message. Reminders about a patient's own appointments are part of their care. Never include a diagnosis, result or medication in the SMS.
When should we send reminders?
The afternoon before works well: close enough that patients remember, with enough time to move the slot if they can't make it.
Can patients confirm or cancel by SMS?
Yes. Patients can reply YES to confirm, and replies come back to your portal for reception to check.
Does it work for vets and other practices?
Yes. The same reminders, recalls and notices work for vets, physios, optometrists, psychologists and beauty clinics.
What does it cost per reminder?
30c on the Starter pack, and down to 22c on bigger packs, with no VAT added. 800 reminders use R240 of credits, so a R300 Starter pack lasts a practice like that about five weeks.
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See how it worksReady to send appointment reminders?
WhatsApp us your practice name and roughly how many appointments you book a day. We'll help you set up your first reminders.