SMS marketing is not just for e-commerce. SMS marketing healthcare is also significant for remaining connected with your patients throughout their treatment journey to enhance their experience.
Around 85% of patients prefer healthcare industries to reach via messages rather than calls or emails.
In this blog, learn more about SMS marketing healthcare and some strategies and best practices to do it right.
Why SMS Marketing for Healthcare?
People are mobile-centric, and patients are people too. Patients use mobile extensively for their doctor appointments, treatments, and follow-ups. Healthcare businesses must leverage this habit for their growth with SMS marketing.
Here are some reasons why you should use effective SMS messaging for clinics.
1. High open rates
SMS messages have a higher open rate, i.e., 98%, which is way higher than the email open rate, i.e., 36.48%. This is very important for industries like healthcare, where most of the situations are urgent. SMS marketing with high open rates helps patients with timely information.
2. High response rate
SMS marketing gives a higher response rate, which allows healthcare businesses to get better engagement. The average SMS marketing response rate is 45%, compared to email’s average response rate of less than 10%.
This is especially beneficial for appointment reminders, health surveys, or follow-up inquiries. The interactive nature of SMS allows patients to respond with a simple text, making it convenient for them to engage with healthcare providers.
3. Wide reach
Unlike email, SMS messages are even received on basic mobile devices with no internet connections. It makes it an effective channel for reaching a broad patient base, including demographics that may be harder to reach through other means, such as elderly patients or those in rural areas.
4. Ease of use
Sending and receiving SMS is as straightforward as it can be. It does not require any essential training and patients don’t need to download any new app. This factor makes it convenient for all patients despite their technological knowledge.
Ways to use SMS in patient communication
Here are some ways to perform healthcare communication via SMS.
1. Appointment reminder
Set up automated messages for appointment reminders for patients. You can make a short series of SMS reminder messages for this. With instantly sending a confirmation text message followed by timely reminders.
2. Medication information
Use SMS marketing healthcare for sending prescriptions and more details about the medicines, for example, the timings and related precautions. It helps to give accurate insights regarding the medication to the patients, increasing your treatment’s impact. These messages also create a strong bond between patients and doctors.
3. Test result notifications
SMS marketing is a must for sending test result notifications. It is for several reasons such as
- It has a higher open rate.
- It does not require any internet connection which is good for remote locations.
- It is easy to access reports via SMS.
It makes sense when patients awaiting their results get instant notifications and can easily access their reports with no extra guidance on the process needed. It enhances their experience.
4. Preoperative and postoperative instructions
There are so many instructions that patients need to take care of before and post an operation. You can of course make a file and list all the factors down, but it can be overwhelming in most situations. Instead try to send an SMS series with brief instructions to your patients timely, leaving a greater impact on patients.
5. Community health alerts
The pandemic situation has created a future need for building an urgent communication tool. What is better than SMS, it is direct, instant, and easy. Also in situations with seasonal flues, you can leverage SMS marketing to inform people as soon as possible.
Recommended read: Text Alert System: How to Send an Emergency Text as a Business
6. Health education
You can create an SMS series with tips, hacks, knowledge bites, and remedies related to their health history or general history. This will help to strengthen the bond and enhance the engagement.
7. Vaccination campaigns
Use SMS to inform about upcoming vaccination campaigns to ensure more people are showing up. The factor of it not needing internet and ease of use is significant for wider reach.
8. Follow-up care
Two-way SMS helps in engaging with patients about their follow-ups. It will help you to keep tabs on the patients’ treatments with the least effort.
9. Appointment scheduling and rescheduling
You can enable patients to schedule and reschedule their doctor appointment. It will allow patients to view real-time availability and choose the available slot that works best for them.
Automated confirmation messages also allow patients to be confident about their appointments.
10. Billing and payment reminders
SMS marketing will also enable you to complete payments. You can use frequent payment reminders and include payment links in your messages for added convenience.
11. Feedback and surveys
Share SMS feedback and surveys with SMS across your target group to collect necessary information. You can also later share assessments and personalized recommendations based on those surveys for engagement.
25+ ready-to-use SMS templates
Here are 25+ templates to use for patient engagement SMS strategies.
Opt-in confirmations
1. “Welcome to Our Health Clinic! You’re now opted in for appointment reminders, health tips & offers. Reply ‘YES’ to confirm or ‘STOP’ to unsubscribe. Let’s keep you healthy!”
2. “Thanks for choosing Our Health Services! You’re now subscribed for updates. Expect helpful health tips, appointment reminders, and special offers. Reply ‘CONFIRM’ to stay connected!”
3. “Hello! You’ve opted in for important health updates from Our Clinic. Stay tuned for appointment reminders, wellness tips & exclusive offers. Reply ‘YES’ to confirm or ‘STOP’ to opt out.”
Emergency Texts
4. “URGENT: Your appointment at Our Health Clinic has been rescheduled to [new date/time]. Please confirm your availability by replying ‘YES’ or call [clinic number] if you need to reschedule.”
5. “EMERGENCY ALERT: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Dr. Smith’s clinic hours are now extended till 8 PM today. If you need immediate medical assistance, please call [clinic number].”
6. “IMPORTANT: Our Health Clinic will be closed tomorrow for maintenance. For urgent medical needs, please visit [nearest emergency clinic] or call [emergency contact number]. Stay safe!”
Encourage checkups
7. “Hi there! It’s time for your annual checkup at Our Health Clinic. Schedule your appointment today for a comprehensive health assessment and personalized care. Your health matters to us!”
8. “Hello! Regular checkups are key to staying healthy. Book your appointment at Our Clinic for a wellness exam. Early detection saves lives! Call [clinic number] to schedule.”
9. “Hey! Don’t forget your routine checkup at Our Health Services. Our expert team is ready to ensure you’re in tip-top shape. Schedule now to prioritize your well-being!”
Providing educational content
10. “Hi [Patient’s Name], Did you know that regular exercise can boost your immune system and overall health? Check out our blog for more health tips! [Link]”
11. “Hello! Did you know that drinking enough water is crucial for staying hydrated and maintaining kidney health? Learn more about healthy hydration on our website! [Link]”
12. “Hey there! Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables can improve your heart health. Visit our website for nutritious recipes and diet tips! [Link]”
Reminders to take medication
13. “Good morning, [Patient’s Name]! Just a friendly reminder to take your medication as prescribed. Your health is important to us!”
14. “Hi! It’s time for your medication. Please take it now to stay on track with your treatment plan. Let us know if you have any questions!”
15. “Hello, [Patient’s Name]! Don’t forget to take your medication today. Consistency is key to managing your health effectively!”
Health alerts
16. “Attention! Flu season is approaching. Schedule your flu shot appointment today to protect yourself and your loved ones.”
17. “Important Alert: Heatwave advisory in your area. Stay hydrated, avoid prolonged sun exposure, and seek medical help if you experience heat-related symptoms.”
18. “URGENT: Recall notice for certain medications. Please contact us immediately for guidance and replacement options.”
Follow-up
19. Hey [Name], just checking in to see how you’re doing after your appointment. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out. Take care!
20. Hi [Name], it’s been a little while since your last visit. We wanted to make sure everything is going well. Let us know if there’s anything you need!
21. Hey [Name], hope you’re feeling better after your recent visit. If you have any concerns or need to schedule another appointment, just reply here.
Refill reminders
22. “Hey [Patient Name], it’s time to refill your prescription for [Medication]. Visit us or call to renew and stay on track with your treatment plan. Your health matters!”
23. “Hello! Don’t forget to refill your prescription for [Medication]. Our team is here to assist you with any questions or concerns. Stay healthy and proactive!”
24. “Hi [Patient Name], ensure uninterrupted care by refilling your prescription for [Medication]. Reach out if you need assistance or have any dosage adjustments. Take care!”
Patient feedback
25. “Hi [Patient Name], we value your feedback to enhance our services. Please take a moment to share your experience and suggestions. Your input helps us improve for you!”
26. “Hello! Your opinion matters. Share your feedback on your recent visit or interaction with us. We strive to provide the best care possible. Thank you for helping us grow!”
27. “Hi there, we’re eager to hear from you! Your feedback guides our efforts to meet your healthcare needs effectively. Feel free to share your thoughts or concerns. Thank you!”
Best practices for SMS marketing healthcare
Here are three key best practices for SMS marketing healthcare.
1. Obtain explicit consent
To make your healthcare SMS campaigns effective, first obtain consent from all the patients. This will ensure patients are not getting annoyed with your messages and you are receiving maximum engagement.
Recommended read: The Ultimate Guide to SMS Opt-in for 2024 (Tips + Examples)
2. Personalize your messages
Use your patient’s historical data to understand exactly what assistance your patients expect from you. It will also help you to include timely appointment reminders and relevant health tips in your text messages.
Recommended read: What is SMS Personalization – Key Tips and Advice (2024)
3. Include a strong CTA
A strong CTA guides your patient about the next action. Analyze the purpose of your SMS and the result you want from it. Create several CTAs based on this information. You can also check which CTA resonates best with your customers, by testing different CTAs with different messages.
4. Ensure the compliance
Text messaging compliance in healthcare is important to maintain patient’s information private.
HIPAA-compliant text messaging protects sensitive data like medical records and personal details. HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This means using encrypted platforms for texting, obtaining patient consent, and training staff on privacy practices.
Simplify SMS marketing for healthcare using TxtCart
You can not only simplify the process of implementing SMS marketing healthcare with an SMS marketing platform.
TxtCart offers a range of features that enable you to enhance SMS marketing healthcare efforts including
✅ Automated cart abandonment flows
✅ Robust customer segmentation
✅ Impressive AI conversations
TxtCart also gives you an easy-to-use reporting dashboard. You can view the current status of the campaign(s), the number of recipients it sent to as well as campaign-specific reply rate, CTR (click-through rate), revenue generated as well as approx ROI (Return on Investment).
Install the TxtCart app today and reach out to our team of experts for better results.
