Confirmations and reminders
Which messages your patients receive after a booking, when reminders go out, which channels are used and how you control them.
3 min read
Terms
- Confirmation. The message a patient receives once a booking, reschedule or cancellation is accepted by your practice system.
- Reminder. A message sent ahead of the visit so the patient remembers to come.
- Channel order. The order in which 2care tries WhatsApp, SMS and email for your practice.
- Quiet hours. The times when SMS and email messages wait until morning.
What patients receive
| Message | When it is sent |
|---|---|
| Booking confirmation | Once your practice system accepts the appointment |
| Reschedule confirmation | Once the new time is accepted |
| Cancellation confirmation | Once the cancellation is accepted |
| Reminders | 24 h and 2 h before the visit |
| Check-in | 48 h after the visit |
| Missed appointment message | After a no-show, if you switch it on |
Each confirmation carries the date, time and location of the visit. A message is sent only after your practice system has accepted the change, so patients are never told about a booking that did not land.
Messages for your team
Providers can receive their own messages too: a confirmation, cancellation or reschedule notice for their appointments, and a daily summary of their schedule. Each is switched on per practice.
Channels
Messages go out over WhatsApp, SMS or email. 2care tries the channels in the order you choose, and the first one that succeeds delivers the message. A patient receives each message once, even if the booking event is reported more than once. If your patients prefer a channel that is not listed here, tell us and we will plan it with you.
Every conversation with a patient is held as one thread across voice, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs and email. Your team sees the whole history in one place.
Setting it up
- Choose your channels. Pick which of WhatsApp, SMS and email to use, and in what order.
- Confirm WhatsApp consent. WhatsApp messages are sent once your practice confirms patients have agreed to receive them.
- Choose your messages. Switch on each type of message you want sent: confirmations, reminders, cancellations, no-show follow-ups and provider messages.
- Set quiet hours. SMS and email messages that fall inside quiet hours wait until they end. WhatsApp template messages are sent as scheduled.
- Review the wording. Your 2care team shows you each message before it goes live.
Messages are switched on for your practice during onboarding. Nothing is sent to patients until you have chosen your channels.
Opting out
Patients can reply STOP or another standard opt-out keyword to stop texts. Their choice is recorded and honoured on later messages.
Questions
Can we change the reminder wording?
Yes. Your 2care team updates the wording with you, using your practice name and tone.
Which channel will a patient receive?
The first channel in your order that succeeds for that patient. If WhatsApp is first and the patient is not on WhatsApp, the message goes by the next channel in your list.
Can we switch off one type of message?
Yes. Each type of message is switched on or off for your practice on its own, so you can keep confirmations on and leave no-show messages off, for example.
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