SMS Marketing for
Healthcare

Yes, there are many forms of SMS for healthcare providers and facilities that are HIPAA compliant. The purpose of the Health and Human Services regulation is to maintain patient privacy, so refrain from texting medical information that is personal, sensitive, and specific (like test results, procedure types, etc.). When it comes to HIPAA and texting patients, the latest guidance from the HHS is that if a patient initiates a type of electronic communication, then the provider can reasonably assume the patient can be contacted that way. As far as appointment reminders or billing alerts, patients can actively request to be communicated via text with Keywords and Sign-Up Forms, thereby initiating the electronic communication.

Text messaging in the healthcare industry should only be through an SMS marketing platform like EZ Texting that is password-protected and that offers worry-free text compliance tools, like automatically unsubscribing a contact from messaging when they reply with the word “STOP.” Healthcare providers should avoid using their personal mobile device to text with patients because this could appear unprofessional. Patient text messaging software offers security, enhanced messaging tools, and the ability to archive and sort message threads by contact.

Yes, SMS marketing for healthcare is legal, but there are important precautions to consider. First of all, text messaging is like email in that it is a permission-based activity. Therefore would-be recipients must opt in to receive text messaging. They can do this in a variety of ways: SMS Keyword campaign, Sign-Up Form or sign-up link, within a registration flow, or via a point-of-sale system. The second precaution to take for patient text messaging is ensuring that private health information that could be deemed sensitive should be communicated in person, over the phone, or within a secure, specialized patient portal.

The best way to communicate with patients is to give them options. When patients choose their communication methods, they are more receptive to the message. For instance, a healthcare provider might directly ask for a communication preference — phone, email, SMS, or patient portal — during the new patient registration process. Ensuring that a healthcare facility’s or medical office’s messages are received can benefit both the patient and business. Meanwhile, omnichannel marketing is offering the same promotion across multiple channels, from display ads to broadcast to SMS marketing. With wellness and medical text marketing, the omnichannel approach allows a practice or clinic to reach new patients in a variety of ways, determine their preference, and then continue to serve messages to them in that way.