Sending SMS Text Messages using Patient Groups

To send a one-way text message to a Patient Group in Vision+:

1. From the Windows Notification Area, right click Vision+  and select Practice Reports. Practice Reports opens by default on the QOF/QAIF screen, select Patient Groups to display all Vision+ patient groups:

   

2. The first 50 groups display, to see more groups select Show More at the bottom right hand side of the screen or to view user specific groups select User:

   

   Training Tip - You can find a group by typing part of the group description and selecting Search . To remove a filter select X.
3. Select the Patient Group you want to work with and the Patient Group screen displays:

   

4. Select Merge Patient Group.
5. The Mailings screen displays, select SMS:

   

   Training Tip - For bi-directional messaging you must set up a different template and select SMS Questions. See Questionnaires via SMS for details.
6. The SMS screen displays:

   

   From here you can:

   • Open Patient - Select to open the highlighted patient in Consultation Manager.
   • Select All - Select to flag all the patients in the list with valid mobile numbers. You can then deselect as required.
   • Random Select - Randomly selects patients in the list. You can deselect/select as required.
   • Please select an SMS messages template - Select the predefined template required (the content of the text message). See Creating a Recall/Healthcare Invite SMS Message Template.
     Note - You have different SMS templates available for QOF/QAIF and non-QOF/QAIF Vision+ templates. If you cannot see one of your SMS templates, it may be attached to another practice list, see Attaching a Template to a Practice List for details.
   • Send SMS Messages (nn Texts Remaining) - Displays how many text messages are available to your practice. If you have selected more patients than the balance in your SMS account, you must either:
     • De-select patients down to the account balance, or
     • Purchase more SMS messages.
       Note - For practices that have an EE contract, the send SMS messages is automatically maintained for you and displays the message 'EE providing texts'.
   • SMS Filters - Filters the patients by:
     • No Filter - Selected by default, all patients within the patient list display. Patients with no or an invalid mobile number or those who have opted out of the SMS text messaging service, display in the no filter list but you cannot select them.
     • Validated Mobile Numbers - Select to display patients with valid mobile number only.
     • Invalid Mobile Numbers - Select to display patients who’s first mobile number is invalid.
     • Declined SMS - Select to display patients who have opted out of SMS text messaging.
     Training Tip - You can use the column headings to sort the report list, for example, if you want to display patients with mobile numbers at the top of the list, select the mobile number column heading.
7. 1. Place a tick against the patients you want to send a message to, or choose Select All:

   

8. Select SMS Message to send the messages to the selected patients.
   Training Tip - If you are not on an EE contract you cannot send text messages unless your SMS account is in credit. The status bar above the patient list shows how many SMS messages remain. If you have selected more patients than the balance in your account, SMS Message is unavailable. You must either de-select patients down to the account balance or purchase more SMS messages.

Once Vision+ receives confirmation from the SMS handling service that the message is sent, a clinical term automatically records to the patient's record:

Here is an example of a recall SMS text message received by a patient:

Please note the following:

• Where patients share the same mobile number and are within the same group for SMS invitations, only one SMS message is sent and charged for, but both patient records update with the clinical term. 
• Patients who receive SMS text messages whilst abroad are not charged.
• The following SMS reports are available:
  • Sent SMS Messages - Select to display a list of patients who have been sent a text message along with details of the message description, date sent and message status.
  • SMS Log - The SMS Log is for support purposes and displays sent, invalid and declined messages for all sent messages. The file name contains the date and time the SMS messages were sent.
  See SMS Message Reports for details.