SMS Types

Different types of SMS transactions are generated within Vision:

  • Call/Recall
    The Call/Recall messages are generated for a group of patients from within Vision+ Practice Reports, for example, an invitation for patients to attend their annual Diabetic Review or a Blood Pressure check.

  • Appointment Reminder
    Vision+ can automatically send Appointment Reminders to patients at specific times, for example, 5 days before their appointment or the day before their appointment.
    Different criteria can also be used for different appointment types, for example, Fasting Blood test, as you may wish to include specific notes relating to that appointment.

  • Patient Services
    Messages generated from Patient Services included appointment booking and cancellation notifications generated using NHS.net, however, this has been withdrawn as this is no longer a free option.

  • Reply Confirmation
    SMS messages can be configured in Vision+ to enable patients to respond to messages, for example, Cancel an Appointment or Opt out of SMS notifications.

  • Questionnaires
    Vision+ includes bi-directional text messaging, this enables you to send Questionnaires to gather information from patients, for example, smoking status.

    The questionnaire can be designed with defined reply options, which are each linked to relevant clinical terms:

      Please assist us in updating your smoking records:
      If you have never smoked, reply 1
      If you are an ex-smoker, reply 2
      If you are a current smoker, reply 3

    When the patient replies, their record updates with the appropriate clinical term, and the associated comment includes 'patient SMS response'.

  • Other
    Vision also enables you to send individual SMS messages to patients, for example, following a blood test result or receipt of a discharge letter.