Updating Existing SMS Templates

If you need to update existing SMS templates to include required cancellation and new merge fields:

  1. Right click on Vision+ and select Practice Reports.
  2. Select Appointments:

  3. Select SMS Merge Templates .
  4. The Appointment SMS Merge Templates screen displays. Highlight the template you want to update and select Edit :

  5. Update the global message you want your patients to receive.
  6. Select OK.

    Remember within Add Mail Merge Field you have the following additional merge fields:

    • Notes Kept At (is the appointment at the main site or the branch site)
    • Title
    • Surname
    • Forename
    • DOB
    • Staff Name (the name of the member of staff they are seeing)
    • Cancel Appointment
      Note - The Cancel Appointment Merge field brings across the global practice message you have set in Settings - SMS Replies - Cancel Appointment Detail. Within the background of the merge field is a response code unique to the patient which is automatically generated as part of the SMS.

The appointment SMS reminders are generated as before.

  • The patient receives an SMS appointment reminder, and can reply to it and cancel their appointment if they cannot attend.
  • A message is sent back in the Appointments system.
  • A confirmation text is sent back to the patient once the appointment is cancelled:

SMS appt reminder sent to pt with reply

Note - To print this topic select Print in the top right corner and follow the on-screen prompts.