How do I increase the use of Email and SMS?

The cost of postage is ever increasing, while electronic methods of communication are more and more powerful, allowing patients to book their own appointments and update their records.

For those patients you’re unable to text / email, this message will appear at the bottom of our letters:

“Help us stay in touch whilst protecting valuable resources. Instead of letters, we can send you invites and information about your health by text message or email. You will hear from us sooner and can book appointments more easily. If you’d like to receive messages this way, please let our staff know next time you speak to us.”

It won't appear if the patient has recently been coded as declining SMS in the last 3y, they're palliative, live in a care home or fall into various other exclusions. 

These patients will also have this status alert towards the end of their demographic alerts: 

Clicking on this icon will give the following options:

Each option will add appropriate codes, and the Yes options will require you to update patient contact details. "YES SMS but no links" will include the patient in reports for messages that don't require the use of the internet, but not messages that include links to book appointments, complete questionnaires, etc.

As well as this prompt and message on the letter, we've also produced resources to help shift patients from SMS to Email - particularly helpful where ICBs are concerned about the cost of texting.