Mobile Number Protection
What is Mobile Number Protection?
Mobile Number Protection (MNP) refers to a series of technical safeguards and functionality that Dialog Health has put in place to verify and protect the integrity of mobile numbers sent to us as well as select the best number for mobile engagement, improve reach rates, and keep the conversation going.
MNP is comprised of two processes: Mobile Number Look-up & Mobile Number Updates.
Process 1: Mobile Number Look-up
You have the ability to send Dialog Health two phone numbers (Primary & Additional). During the Opt-in process Dialog Health looks up both numbers to determine which is better suited to receive text messages. This process also allows us to check the status and validity of mobile numbers, and the country/mobile network they are associated with.
After look-up and determining which number is best suited for mobile engagement, Dialog Health opts the subscriber in on that number and locks it from automated updates.
Process 2: Mobile Number Updates
Users can update patients’ mobile numbers regardless of subscription status via the Dialog Health User interface (insert article about updating numbers manually). If you have an automated integration with Dialog Health (API, flat file over sFTP, or Hl7 over TCP/IP), mobile number updates will be processed for patients in both the To Be Subscribed and Opted-Out Status automatically.
For patients that are already opted-in to messaging, their mobile number is considered protected. Thus, mobile number updates for opted-in subscribers will be ignored. All other fields will be updated if applicable. If you wish to update the mobile number of an opted-in patient, it will need to be done so manually via the patient’s profile in the Dialog Health console.
Table 1.1 below summarizes how Dialog Health handles Mobile Number updates with respect to integration type and subscription status.
Subscription Status | Updated Manually | Updated Via Automated Integration |
To Be Subscribed | Yes | Yes, always |
Opted-in | Yes | No |
Opted-out | Yes | Yes, always |
Inactive | Yes | Yes, always |
Table 1.1
Mobile Number Protection 2.0 (Now in Beta)
As of November 2024, Dialog Health is happy to announce an improved beta version of our Mobile Number Protection functionality. This new functionality allows for smarter mobile number updates via automated integrations.
If you are interested in joining the beta for this functionality, please reach out to Support@DialogHealth.com
In other words, you can now update an opted-in subscribers mobile phone number via a Dialog Health integration if the newly provided phone number is a valid mobile and eligible for mobile engagement.
These mobile number updates are processed in near real time. So, regardless of when your organization is sending us data, we will process your mobile number updates as soon as they are processed through the import queue. See a sample workflow below.
Example workflow for fictional patient Thomas Doe:
- Thomas Doe has been opted in for mobile engagement on 123-456-7890
- Thomas Doe updates their mobile number to 877-666-1132 and informs your organization to update their number in your EMR or Practice Management system
- Your organization sends Dialog Health an updated patient record via one of our automated integrations
- Dialog Health receives this update and begins mobile number look-up on both the primary mobile number and the additional mobile if provided.
- Of the provided numbers, Dialog Health determines the best number for mobile engagement
- Dialog Health sends an Opt-out message to the old number on file (123-456-7890)
- Dialog Health sends an Opt-in message to the newly provided number that was best suited for mobile engagement (877-666-1132)
- Thomas Doe is now opted-in and will be contacted on mobile number 877-666-1132
Scenarios for Opted-in Subscribers
Opted-in Mobile Number | New Mobile Number Provided | New Additional Mobile Provided | Result |
123-456-7890 | - | - | 123-456-7890 remains |
123-456-7890 | - | 877-666-1132 | 877-666-1132 is opted-in |
123-456-7890 | 877-666-1132 | 111-111-1111* | 877-666-1132 is opted-in |
123-456-7890 | 877-666-1132 | - | 877-666-1132 is opted-in |
123-456-7890 | 111-111-1111* | 877-666-1132 | 877-666-1132 is opted-in |
123-456-7890 | 111-111-1111* | - | 123-456-7890 remains |
123-456-7890 | - | 111-111-1111* | 123-456-7890 remains |
Table 1.2, *111-111-1111 is a bad mobile number
Additional Considerations:
- These updates are processed in near real time. When you send them, we process them whether that be at 2am or 2pm.
- During Mobile Number Look-up, Dialog Health will select the phone number that is best suited for mobile engagement between the mobile and additional mobile fields (if provided). The selected mobile will be placed in the primary mobile field.
- Dialog Health will only process mobile number updates to Opted-in Subscribers if one of the newly provided phone numbers is valid and eligible for mobile number engagement.
Table 1.3 below summarizes how Dialog Health handles mobile number updates when Mobile Number Protection 2.0 is enabled with respect to integration type and subscription status.
Subscription Status | Updated Manually | Updated Via Automated Integration |
To Be Subscribed | Yes | Yes, always |
Opted-in | Yes | Yes, if the new number is valid and eligible for mobile engagement |
Opted-out | Yes | Yes, always |
Inactive | Yes | Yes, always |
Table 1.3
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