A new text reminder service for physiotherapy outpatient appointments has been launched at Letterkenny University Hospital.
The service will offer a two-way reminder for patients, aiming to enhance patient engagement, and also cut down on the amount of missed appointments at the hospital.
It is planned to expand eventually to all outpatient appointments in the hospital, following the initial launch in physiotherapy.
Texts will be sent ten days before the patient’s appointment, and will allow the opportunity to respond with a simple “Y” or “N” to confirm if they can attend or not.
The hospital has outlined how the system will work:
Initial Appointment Notification: Patients will continue to receive a letter with their initial outpatient appointment details.
First Text Reminder: Ten days before the scheduled appointment, patients will receive their first SMS Text reminder.
Second Text Reminder: A second SMS Text reminder will be sent three days before the appointment.
Upon receiving the text message, patients should reply:
- ‘Y’ to confirm attendance.
- ‘N’ to confirm they will not be attending.
Patients who respond with an “N” will receive another text asking them if they require another appointment and also reminding them if they cancel that appointment they will be discharged back to their G.P. A new appointment date will be sent to patients who request another appointment.
Seán Murphy, Letterkenny University Hospital Manager, said:
“This new text message service is a simple yet effective way to help patients manage their appointments while reducing missed attendances. By introducing a two-way system, we are making it easier for patients to let us know if they cannot attend. These appointments can then be offered to others on the waiting list.”
“This service improves communication and makes the process more efficient for the service and the patient. We sincerely thank patients of Letterkenny University Hospital, for their co-operation with this new service.”
