Looking to get the most out of your patient communications? Use the tips below to ensure text and email messages to patients are HIPAA-compliant, clear, and not mistaken for spam.
HIPAA
- Never include Protected Health Information (PHI) in outgoing text messages or email
- For more information, visit https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/index.html
General Tips
- Start with a friendly greeting and include your organization’s name so that the patient knows who the message is coming from.
- Example: “Hello from your ABC Health care team! We wanted to let you know about our new extended office hours. You can now reach us Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.”
- Include your own name (or another individual’s name if sending on their behalf) if you would like the patient to know the message came from a particular individual.
- Example: “Hi, this is Clara from ABC Health Care. We would love to get feedback on how your experience has been with us. Please take a moment to complete a quick survey using the link below.”
- Include a clear action with any needed support instructions if you would like the patient to complete a task.
- Example: “Good morning from your team at ABC Health! Please check in to let us know how you’re feeling at https://app.tapcloud.com/app”
- Example: “Good morning from your team at ABC Health! We’d love to know how you’re feeling. Simply reply to this message to let us know how you’re doing today and if we can help in any way.”