SMS Key Points

Please note the following hints and tips for getting the most out of SMS Messaging:

• You can send text messages to groups of patients.

  See Sending SMS Text Messages using Patient Groups for more details.

• Keep SMS message brief with no more than 160 characters. Long SMS messages can cost two texts or more.

• Text messages should not contain patient-identifiable data.

• You can include a URL address in a text message, however, remember to avoid the message being too long.

• From Vision+ Practice Reports, you can view lists of patients to whom you have sent appointment reminder text messages.

  See Appointment SMS Text Message Reports for more details.

• There is an option to include an informed dissent merge field in your SMS message templates. This is only valid if recalling patients from Vision+ QOF Reports or an outstanding indicator on the Vision+ Alert screen.

  See Editing an SMS Template to include Informed Dissent for more details.

• You can review your SMS configuration in Vision+ Settings.

  See Configuration and Settings for more details.

• When you send a recall message to a patient, a clinical term records in the patient record with the message content. The clinical term depends on your clinical terminology:

  • Read - 9N3G.00 SMS Text Message Sent To Patient

  • SNOMED CT - 711408005 Short message service text message sent to patient (procedure)