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Texting: The Future of Appointment Reminders

By: Elizabeth Miller

I recently received a text message from my dentist’s office reminding me of my upcoming appointment the following Monday.

Brilliant, I thought. Not only is my dentist super savvy for exploiting America’s texting addiction, but he’s also very in-tune to my needs as a patient. I lead a busy life, and texting is often the best way to get my attention. Unlike the common phone call reminder to the family answering machine—which will probably be heard two days after said appointment—the text message is a sure-fire way to make sure that reminder gets noticed.

This level of “in-tuneness” to patients’ needs shows that you (the healthcare provider) are not only concerned for their health (because, as a healthcare provider, that’s your job), but that you also want to make their lives easier. When it comes to patient service, it’s the little things that make a difference: that complimentary coffee bar (with the good creamer!) in your waiting area, a Wii_TM station for the kids, online appointment scheduling, a new toothbrush upon departure. And, in the age of digital communication, text message appointment reminders certainly add that little something extra.

Texting used to be somewhat of a “covert” form of communication—to be used when verbal communication wasn’t convenient or appropriate. Like during church, at work, or in the middle of your niece’s ballet recital. But now that texting has become a primary form of communication for many people (particularly high school and college-aged kids), it’s opened doors for effective and efficient communication between healthcare practices and patients.

Back to my dentist. If I hadn’t gotten that text message, would I have missed my appointment? Maybe, maybe not. After all, we do lead busy lives. And sometimes that scheduled trip to the dentist falls to the wayside of kids’ soccer practice, work deadlines, and The View. But since most of us consider our cell phones/BlackBerrys®/iPhone a vital appendage, the text message reminder is a noticeable nudge.

Bottom line: using text messages to remind patients of upcoming appointments is a win-win-win scenario. You convey a much-needed message through an effective medium, the patient senses that you’re going the proverbial extra mile for their benefit, and, most importantly, the patient will actually show up for the appointment.