How Text Messaging Can Be Used in Healthcare
Like any organization, healthcare providers must deal with the problem of waste. Waste can be defined as unnecessarily spent time, money, or other resources. Generally, waste in healthcare occurs when services are provided that are unlikely to improve patient health, when services are provided inefficiently, or when inadequate measures are taken to encourage preventative medicine. To help combat this, healthcare providers can adopt the use of SMS messaging for communication with patients. SMS messaging offers enticing advantages to healthcare providers, and one way that they might be able to make use of it is through the TexTalk platform’s SMS messaging solutions and features.
SMS messaging has been in existence for decades, but it is only recently coming into frequent commercial use. Text messaging can provide a new way for healthcare providers to communicate with their patients. Given that existing communications methods seem to be doing the job just fine, one might wonder why SMS messaging should be adopted. After all, why fix something that is not broken? The truth is that text messaging provides several advantages to healthcare providers.
To start, text messaging takes up considerably less bandwidth than sending voice messages. By using the TexTalk platform’s SMS features, healthcare providers can communicate with a large group of patients at a fraction of the cost of sending an equivalent amount of voice messages. However, TexTalk does also offer this capability. TexTalk makes sending SMS messages easy by enabling users to type up messages and send them out quickly. Text messages tend to be straight and to the point, although TexTalk does allow for longer messages to be sent in several texts. Phone calls, voice messages, and emails can all be used for short messages like reminders about appointments or picking up a prescription. However, none of these can come close to the conciseness and ease of use that text messaging provides.
According to a recent study, texting is used by about 81% of the population in the United States. Studies have shown that texts tend to be read within the first five seconds they are seen, and that they are usually opened even when people do not know who they are coming from. In contrast, only 20% of calls from unknown numbers are picked up. Phone calls can also be missed, and many people do not check their voicemails regularly. Text messages, on the other hand, can stay on the phone for long periods, usually until the user deletes them. This means that even if texts are not read immediately, there is a much higher chance that the message will still get across. Using TexTalk for SMS messaging increases the odds that an organization’s messages will get across.
It is for these reasons that the TexTalk platform’s SMS solutions be used in healthcare. For healthcare providers, getting messages across in a time-sensitive manner is critical. Effective communication with patients can make a difference by helping to improve the care that patients currently receive, as well as preventative care. Close contact between a healthcare provider and a patient allows the healthcare provider to see how they can tailor their services to fit the needs of the patient. Remaining in close contact through texting also allows for better preventative care, as texting allows for reminders to be given about vaccinations or regular check-ups. Regular reminders can make preventative care measures like these more likely to be carried out, thereby improving the overall health of patients.
While text messaging has been in use for years, not all of its applications have yet been realized. The TexTalk platform’s SMS features have the potential to be a new channel of communication between healthcare providers and patients. By using text messaging, healthcare providers can ensure better patient health by improving the healthcare that patients receive and allowing for better preventative care. Text messaging also helps healthcare providers reduce waste, making texting a valuable tool for healthcare providers, both in terms of its effects on patient health and on their ability to run efficiently.