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Setting up appointment reminders

Configure automatic reminders to be sent to clients before their appointments via email or SMS.

appointment reminder

Automated appointment reminders help dramatically reduce no‑shows by notifying clients at the right time via their preferred channels, without adding extra work for your team.

Overview​

WithinEHR lets you send reminders by email, SMS, and other channels so clients are consistently informed about upcoming visits. You control which channels are enabled and when each reminder goes out, while the system takes care of sending them automatically for every scheduled appointment.

Before you start​

  • Confirm that client contact details (email address and mobile number) are correct and that you have permission to contact them via email/SMS.
  • Decide on a reminder strategy (for example, one early reminder and one same‑day reminder) that fits your clientele and cancellation policy.

Steps to set up appointment reminders​

  1. Access Settings: Go to Settings and open the Notifications or Client Notifications area.
  2. Enable reminders: Locate Appointment Reminders and toggle them On for your practice.
  3. Choose channels: For each available channel (for example, Email, SMS, or Voice), turn the toggle On if you want to use that channel for reminders.
  4. Configure timing:
    • Set your email reminder to send 48 hours before the appointment.
    • Set your SMS reminder to send 2 hours before the appointment (or another short interval close to the visit).
  5. Customize message content (optional): Edit the reminder templates to include your practice name, appointment date/time, location, and any concise instructions or links (such as telehealth or portal links).
  6. Save settings: Click Save or Update to apply your reminder sequence across all new and existing appointments.

Tips and best practices​

  • Use email for earlier reminders with more detail, and SMS for short, same‑day prompts clients see quickly on their phones.
  • Periodically review your no‑show rate and adjust reminder timing or channels to optimize attendance while avoiding over‑messaging clients.