Communicate with individual patients directly through their Patient Channel via manual messaging.

How is this different from other Artera messaging options?

Unlike Automations, Broadcasts, or Campaigns, which are all focused on delivering the same message (with personalization) to multiple patients in Artera, manual messaging is designed for direct communication with a single patient. For example, a patient sends in a message requesting their current balance due. A staff or billing user can respond directly to that patient with the answer to their question using manual messaging.

Sending Manual Messages

To respond or message a patient, select the Patient's Channel from the Recent Messages view:

Now, you can send the patient a message directly through their Patient Channel: 

When messaging a patient who shares a phone number with another patient within the Practice, an alert will appear in the Patient's Channel indicating that the message will be sent to a phone number shared by multiple patients. Include a patient-identifying Smart Phrase in your message, such as {clientFirstNameProperCase}, to remove the alert. Click here to learn more about how to identify patients who share the same phone number within a Practice. 

Channel Status

The Patient's Channel has multiple available statuses: open, pending, and closed. Typically, when a patient sends in a message, the Patient Channel will open. Once a user responds to the message, the Patient Channel will automatically close.

Click here to learn more about Channel Status.

Character Count

When creating text content, we recommend keeping messages short and to the point. If a message is too long, it can show up in multiple, concatenated messages to the patient depending on the patient's phone carrier. As leading practice, we suggest keeping messages 160 characters or less for ideal deliverability. However, messages must be under 1,600 characters. Otherwise, the message will fail to send. You can check this by hovering over the character count number and checking to make sure the pop-up message shows the message is equal to or less than 10. Learn more about SMS Character Limits and Message Formatting Guidelines.

Message Format

Let's review how manual messages are delivered to patients.

Secure vs Unsecure

We take the Protected Health Information (PHI) of your patients very seriously. In fact, all messages are sent as a Secure Link by default. Alternatively, you can choose to send unsecured messages (plain text) content to patients depending on the need. As a general rule, anything that you would freely say to a patient on their voicemail is okay to send unsecured through Artera, which makes correspondence with patients more seamless. However, if you would not leave the information on a voicemail, do not send it over text without making it secure.

Simply select the Lock icon to secure or unsecure the message. Tip: You can also insert two !! prior to the start of the message to unsecure it. The colored bar across the top of the message will update with your selection.

Patient View

Click here to learn more about secure vs. unsecured messages.

SMS/Email Messaging

If the Allow Email Default Setting is enabled for your Enterprise, you can send manual email messages to patients in addition to text messages. Use the drop-down arrow to select the desired available contact method. Your messaging options are the same regardless of the delivery method. 

If your Enterprise supports email messages, the email to the patient is sent through SendGrid, Artera's email delivery partner. Each email address is unique to the patient and will display as follows: ARTERApatientID.ARTERAlineID@sg.wellapp-email.com.

Why is my Send Text button greyed out?

If you discover that you cannot send a direct text or email message to a patient, please review the patient's preferences via the "Preferences" button in the Patient Facesheet. For more information, review our Patient Opt Out/Opt In: SMS Consent Setting documentation. 

Message Tools

When sending messages to the patient directly, there are a number of tools available:

Smart Phrases

Use the Smart Phrase wand to insert dynamic variables that automatically populate with patient information, instantly personalizing your message.

Event Smart Phrases

It is important to keep a few things in mind when using Event Smart Phrases (e.g. {eventDateAtTime}). The Event Smart Phrase will populate with the patient's first upcoming appointment information. So if the patient has more than one upcoming appointment, the soonest appointments details will be populated in the message.

Additionally, if the patient does not have an upcoming appointment scheduled and an Event Smart Phrase is used, the message will not be delivered to the patient. You can confirm if a patient has an upcoming appointment by checking the Events section of their Patient Facesheet.

Click here to learn more about Smart Phrases.

Quick Responses

Use the Lightning icon to send the patient a Quick Response template for quick resolutions to common questions. Click here to learn more about Quick Responses.

If the Quick Response contains an Event Smart Phrase, ensure the patient has an upcoming appointment or the message will not be sent. Review the Event Smart Phrase section above to learn more.

Forms

Use the document icon to attach one or more Artera Forms to the message.

Once you have selected an Artera Form, you can edit the pre-populated text and send it to the patient for completion. A number icon appears displaying how many Artera Forms have been selected.

Attachments

Use the Paper Clip icon to include one or more attachments in the message. A number icon appears displaying how many attachments have been selected. Tip: Use Ctrl + Click or Command + Click to select multiple attachments.

Please note: Any attachments over 600KB are required to be sent as a Secure Link. This prevents the message from being filtered out by the patient’s phone carrier. Click here to learn more about sending attachments.

Internal Mentions

To tag another user, User Group, or Enterprise User Group in a Patient's Channel, you can use the Internal Mentions functionality.

From the Patient's Channel, update the Sent To toggle to @ Internal and use the @ to locate the user or User Group you would like to message.

Click here to learn more about Internal Mentions.

Communication Expectations

Professional Tone

When messaging with patients, it is important to maintain a professional tone. This means you should not use slang or text abbreviations such as c u soon, lol, j/k, brb, and the like.

Secure vs. Unsecure

The majority of messages to and from patients pertain to the logistics of appointments and are often non-clinical in nature. Generally, it is not required that nonclinical messages (messages without PHI) be sent securely, nor is it required that health information be protected in order for a patient to view the message.

As a general rule, anything that you would freely say to a patient on their voicemail is okay to send unsecured through Artera, which makes correspondence with patients more seamless.

However, if you would not leave the information on a voicemail, do not send it over text without making it secure. For example, it is possible to send lab results via message, but it should be done via secure messaging.