The power of bidirectional text messaging in healthcare

Patient engagement is now an important part of healthcare, as companies use both traditional and modern communication methods to differentiate themselves, provide better patient care, and cut costs. For healthcare providers, text messaging has evolved into a critical and strategic tool. Using SMS as a communication channel, healthcare providers and clinics are making the patient experience easier and more convenient.

Here, we'll go over some of the key ways PatientMD Messaging services can help your digital healthcare strategy succeed.

Appointment Reminders

PatientMD messaging services can help with appointment scheduling and attendance, both of which are important first steps in their relationship with digital health providers. If a patient's in-app behavior indicates that they are looking for care, our PatientMD app may send them mobile push notifications encouraging them to schedule an appointment. Patients can benefit from receiving a text message confirmation with their provider's name and information, as well as their confirmed appointment time, once they've scheduled an appointment with them. Sending automated messages as appointment reminders a day ahead of time will increase patient attendance and keep them up to date with their care team. Sending appointment-related messages encourages early communication between patients and providers, but it's even more important to stay in touch with patients over time.

Ongoing Patient-Provider Communication

Patients can benefit from real-time notifications that their provider has sent them a message as their relationship with them progresses. To facilitate a quick review of key health information, a provider can send a text through the PatientMD app that links back to in-app messaging features. Whether health care providers use mobile or push for provider messages, the goal is to keep patients accountable and engaged with their health status by providing them with updates on their personal health information and linking them to where the information is stored in the app (or site). It is critical to keep in touch with patients throughout the treatment process in order to ensure that their needs are met and to educate and advise them on the conditions for which they are being treated. Receiving prompt responses from a provider fosters trust and fosters long-term relationships between a patient and their healthcare team.

Data Gathering

Symptom reporting and results monitoring are two other common uses of text messaging in the healthcare industry. PatientMD App gathers and organizes health data in one place, providing both providers and patients with the data they need to improve treatment and health outcomes. Our App is HIPAA-compliant, so your information is safe and secure. Remote patient monitoring and results tracking are critical functions for triaging symptoms, detecting adverse patient outcomes early, and signaling the need for emergency care in extreme circumstances. If a patient has a chronic disease, for example, PatientMD messaging services can be used to encourage them to report key symptoms at whatever intervals their provider recommends.

Medication Management

Healthcare providers can use messages to encourage medication adherence and management in addition to managing symptoms and behaviors. Physicians can send patients updates on their prescription status, whether it's delayed, filled, or due for renewal, using PatientMD messaging services. Text messages or mobile push notifications can be easily customized and personalized to encourage patients to stick to their medication regimens by reminding them to take their medications at specific times of the day.

Delivery of Test Results

One of the most stressful aspects of navigating the medical system is waiting for test results. Many people can relate to the excitement that comes with taking a lab test and waiting for a call from their doctor. Fortunately, text messages and mobile notifications are effective ways to communicate these time-sensitive results messages. Individuals can be notified of their test results via mobile push and text messages, which can link them directly to the information in the app or website. The patient experience can be improved by linking patients quickly and directly to their results and directing them to additional information on how to interpret these findings.

Moving forward

Physicians who communicate with patients and their families via secure text messaging can improve patient satisfaction, increase medication adherence, and empower patients to take a more active role in their health and wellness. PatientMD is a technology platform that serves as your one-stop shop to grow your practice, engage with your patients, improve the patient experience while improving office efficiency. For more information about how PatientMD can help your practice with text messaging, register on our platform or give us a call at +1-888-448-9495 (USA)/+91-9051-057337(INDIA).