How to Text Caregivers

How to Text Caregivers

Establishing a Partnership with Caregivers

Establishing a partnership between caregiver and provider is crucial to patient success. Providing important information and anticipating questions is the first step toward building an open line of communication with caregivers.  Dialog Health offers our clients two-way texting solutions to communicate with caregivers: Direct Text, Ad-Hoc, and Campaign Broadcasts.
 
Use Direct Texts to send caregivers personalized, real-time updates regarding the patient. You may want to send a Direct Text to caregivers to communicate about…
  1. Last Minute Changes in Pick-up/Drop-off Locations
  2. Procedure Updates (Delays, Ahead of Schedule etc.)
  3. Patient-Specific Discharge Information
Use Ad-Hoc Broadcasts to include caregivers in your emergency messages, including:
  1. Weather Alerts
  2. Emergency Communications
  3. Provider Cancellations
  4. Office Closures
  5. Notice of New Office Location
Use Campaign Broadcasts to include caregivers in your automated messages, including:
  1. Appointment Reminders
  2. Covid-19 Info
  3. Pick-up/Drop-off Locations
  4. Discharge Information
  5. Post-Op Instructions 

Watch the Video Tutorial 



Adding Caregiver Information in Dialog Health

Caregiver information must be added manually within your Dialog Health console. 

1. Find the patient you’d like to add caregiver information to and click their name.
You can find a patient by searching for them in the Search Bar in the top left via their First Name, Last Name, Mobile Number, or Patient ID. You can also click on patient names throughout the console, such as: 
  1. The Schedule on the Home Tab
  2. The Triage on the Home Tab
  3. The Inbox or Outbox Tabs
2. Once you’ve clicked the patient, click the pencil icon or Edit Patient button in the top right of the Patient History window

 

3. Enter the caregiver’s name and mobile number and select Update

Optional: If you’d like to exclude the patient from receiving communication and only communicate with the caregiver, check Caregiver-Only Messaging

Caregiver Must Reply Back to Opt-In: When you select Update, the caregiver will receive an opt-in text asking them to confirm their caregiver status. The caregiver must reply OK to the opt-in in order to receive messages. If they do not reply OK, they will not receive any caregiver communication.
 
The Caregiver Opt-In Status shows whether or not the caregiver has opted in, and will switch to “Opted In” once the caregiver has replied OK. The caregiver has up to 30 days to respond OK to receive messages on behalf, or along with the patient. 



Sending Direct Texts to Caregivers 

Sending Direct Texts to caregivers is the most common use case for our providers. To send a Direct Text to a patient’s caregiver:

1. Click on the patient’s mobile number to bring up the Direct Text window. You can also click on the caregiver's phone number in the Triage section on the Home Tab. 
2. In the Direct Text window, choose a previously created Direct Text Template or type a personalized response in the Message box.
3. Change the Audience selection from the Patient default to either Patient and Caregiver or Caregiver. Select Send.



Sending Ad-Hoc Broadcasts to Caregivers 

You can include caregivers in any Ad-Hoc Broadcast, such as emergency weather alerts, make sure you specify them in your Audience selection. When you configure your ad-hoc broadcast, in the Audience dropdown, you can select Caregiver or Patient and Caregiver. Click Add to either send or schedule your ad-hoc depending on the send time you selected. To learn more about creating ad-hoc broadcasts, click HERE.


Sending Campaign Broadcasts to Caregivers 

You can include caregivers in any Campaign Broadcast, such as Pre-Appointment and Post-Appointment messages, make sure you specify them in your Audience selection. Click the pencil icon to edit your message, and in the Audience dropdown, you can select Caregiver or Patient and Caregiver. Click Update to save your changes!

Please note that you must have Admin access in order to create, or make changes to existing Campaigns. To learn more about creating and editing Campaign Broadcasts, click HERE.



Questions? Please reach out to: support@dialoghealth.com or 877.666.1132
Our support line is monitored Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm CST

    • Related Articles

    • Mass Communication and Emergency Alerts

      An Ad Hoc broadcast is a mass text message that can be sent to a group of subscribed Patients and/or Staff with information such as closing dates, or what to expect in the coming weeks. Browse through our Ad Hoc Best Practices to explore options for ...
    • Direct Text Best Practices

      Browse through our Direct Text Best Practices to explore options for your facility. All text messages are fully customizable and can be used on an as-needed basis. Tips on Character Count: Short text messages are good text messages as they increase ...
    • About Text 4 Info

      What is Text 4 Info? This is a method of communication through Dialog Health that you can use to disperse information to your audience without having to initiate the conversation or opt the person in for texting. In this article, we will review how ...
    • Opt-in Groups

      What is a Group? When a member of your Dialog Health console is opted-in for messaging, they are placed into a Group. If a member is not in a group, this signifies that they are not currently subscribed to receive messages from your team. During your ...
    • How to Send a Direct Text Message

      Direct Texting is a powerful way to connect instantly with your subscribers! Simply click on any opted-in mobile number and start typing your message right away. It’s that easy! Ready to get started? Keep reading to learn how you can send a direct ...