Patient communication settings are a set of Artera tools designed to help you deliver patient messages through the appropriate channels. Based on your Artera configuration and your patient’s contact options, some of these settings may be more relevant than others.

Setting that Impacts All Message Types

The following patient communication setting impacts all messages sent through Triggers, Campaigns, Bulk Messages, and the manually within the Patient Channel.

• SMS Consent: Displayed on the Patient Facesheet and accessible from within Preferences, this reads "Opted In" or "Opted Out of X numbers". This determines whether the patient can receive text messages through any message type and is controlled by the patient through specific carrier keywords. Users can also manually opt a patient out of a specific line, which will send a request directly to the patient to confirm the opt out.

Settings that Impact Triggers

The following patient communication settings, collectively referred to as Patient Contact Preferences, impact how messages are sent to patients through Triggers.

• Preferred Contact: If contact preferences are not synced from your EMR, you can manually set a Preferred Contact in the Patient Factsheet. This will send Triggers to the patient's preferred phone number. NOTE: Email is not supported as a preferred contact.
  • Do Not Contact: If contact preferences are not synced from your EMR, you can manually set a Patient Channel to "Do Not Contact" (DNC) to prevent the patient from receiving any Triggers.
• Contact Preference Sync: Synced from your EMR, patient contact preferences identify whether your patient prefers text, voice, or email communication or is marked as DNC for Triggers. 

Patient Communication Settings FAQs

Do Campaigns or Bulk Messages respect Patient Contact Preferences?

No, these messaging features do not respect communication preferences. Only Triggers do.

If I build a Campaign or Bulk Message is configured to support text, call, and email messages, what is the expected behavior?

1. If a patient has a number on file that can receive texts, Artera will text the patient.
2. If a landline or text-disabled number is on file for the patient and no mobile number is present, Artera will call the patient.
3. If there is no mobile or landline number on file for the patient but email is present, Artera will email the patient.

If "SMS Consent" is Opted Out on the Patient Facesheet, will that prevent automated calls to the patient as well?

No, this setting will only prevent SMS messages from sending to that patient from the line where texting has been disabled.

Is "SMS Consent" synced with a customer's EMR?

No, this is an Artera-specific setting and will not sync to your EMR.

Does the TEXT or CALL label on the Patient Facesheet display the Patients Preferred Contact Method?

No, the TEXT or CALL label simply indicates if the number is a mobile (TEXT) or landline (CALL) number.

If patient contact preferences are synched from your EMR, the best place to verify the patient's preferred contact method is in the EMR. This information is not displayed in the Patient Facesheet.

Does selecting "Do Not Contact" in the Patient Facesheet prevent Campaigns, Bulk Messages, or manual messages from being sent to patients?

No, the Do Not Contact toggle in the Patient Facesheet is only used to prevent Triggers from sending to the patient. 
NOTE: This setting only appears on the Patient Facesheet if your organization is not syncing preferences directly from your EMR.