How Secure 2-Way Texting Improves Patient Engagement

Patient engagement is becoming increasingly important to modern healthcare businesses of all sizes. Engaged patients tend to comply with physicians’ advice, take medication as prescribed, and attend follow-ups, which leads to improved patient outcomes. In addition, engaged and compliant patients are less likely to be readmitted for the same issue within 30 days of being seen. And, they’re more likely to provide positive reviews and recommend your services to friends and family.?

If you’re looking to improve patient engagement at your practice, consider implementing a secure 2-way texting platform. A report in 2019 by Luma Health found that automated, 2-way text messaging was one of the most successful patient engagement innovations.?

Here are some of the study’s notable takeaways:

• Reminder response rates were significantly higher for those sent via text message (52%) compared to 26% for phone call reminders and 28% for email.?
• A patient’s preference for communication via text message does not target any age. The text message reminder confirmation rates for 18-34-year-olds had 43%, 55-74-year-olds had 56%, and 75-94-year-olds had 39%.?
• Patients are significantly more likely to respond to post-appointment requests for feedback through text (38%) compared to email (19%).

Here are four ways to use 2-way text messaging to improve patient engagement and give patients an ultimate experience while reducing time-consuming phone calls for staff:

Appointment Reminders

Patients sometimes forget about appointments with their healthcare providers. They may book their appointments six months or more in advance, or the meeting may simply slip their mind because of their other responsibilities. You can help your patients prioritize their health by sending them text messages about their appointment. Sending them appointment reminders via text can increase patient confirmations by as much as 156%.

Answering Common Questions Quickly

Medical staff can spend hours answering simple, common questions on the phone each day. With 2-way text messaging, medical staff no longer feel the pressure and added stress of spending time on phone calls. Patients can simply send a text to ask their questions, and vice-versa. You may also preset responses to the most common questions and respond in seconds.

Patient Recall?

Not every patient remembers to call their provider and schedule a follow-up appointment or preventive care visit. However, with the help of 2-way text messaging, sending out reminders is simple. Not only does your patient appreciate the reminder, but you can make sure that your patients come back for the care they need to stay healthy while keeping your retention numbers strong.?

Pre-Visit Instructions

With the help of 2-way text messaging, you can send pre-visit instructions with appointment reminders to make sure patients show up prepared. For example, you may provide information on how they will participate in a telehealth visit or waiting room information for in-person visits. You can also pre-screen for illnesses that may require rescheduling or remind them to bring prescriptions, fast, or do other tasks.?

You can help your practice improve patient engagement by integrating HIPAA-compliant patient communication software, such as Curogram. We offer secure, HIPAA-compliant 2-way text messaging and other innovative solutions that can help your practice increase revenue and enhance the patient experience.?