I am sure this was once a good idea, but now it is sheer harassment and annoyance: the non-stop barrage of confirmations, reminders, emails, texts, calls for a single appointment.
As the front desk person of a medical office, I agree and disagree. Ultimately, it is the office's responsibility to not subject patients with a ridiculous amount of messages. My patients get 2. One at the time they make the appointment and the other 2 days before the appointment. I know because I test it out on myself and my staff all the time. Should we text to remind? It is a whole lot better than calling. Most people do not want to talk on the phone and don't answer anyways. Plus, I have a very small staff for my 1 provider. I can't afford to add staff to do what the text feature does for a minimal fee. If a patient tells me no more texts, I unclick the box on the screen and they won't get another text from us. Does it help? Hell yes. I can't count how many patients from every age group that says, "You guys will text me and I appreciate it. I don't need an appointment card." Should they remember that they made the appointment and when it is. Yep, but they don't, and I have had some people act like I just pulled their name out of thin air and made them an appointment. So, we text until a better system comes around.
You are thankfully on top of things. And you care. A lot of these offices are owned by private equity and so centralized there is no intervening in these systems. That being said, please stop the reminders!
"Hi, I'm a Democratic candidate for something that may or may not be near you! Polls show us either in a dead heat with or losing to an insane MAGA Republican endorsed by Donald Trump, Lauren Boebert and Kid Rock. If you don't donate before our 9:37 p.m. second-quarter deadline, all manner of horrible things will happen!"
Next day:
"I have terrible news. Polls show the candidate endorsed by Marjorie Taylor-Greene and the dude from QAnon are leading. We're facing an IMMINENT DEADLINE of 7:38 p.m. TONIGHT for fund-raising."
Next day:
"Thank you for your support! Polls show that we have pulled into a dead heat in this deeply red district that hasn't voted for a Democrat since the Democrats were racist Reconstructionists! But we can only keep it up if you don't by our 11:58 p.m. deadline tonight."
As the front desk person of a medical office, I agree and disagree. Ultimately, it is the office's responsibility to not subject patients with a ridiculous amount of messages. My patients get 2. One at the time they make the appointment and the other 2 days before the appointment. I know because I test it out on myself and my staff all the time. Should we text to remind? It is a whole lot better than calling. Most people do not want to talk on the phone and don't answer anyways. Plus, I have a very small staff for my 1 provider. I can't afford to add staff to do what the text feature does for a minimal fee. If a patient tells me no more texts, I unclick the box on the screen and they won't get another text from us. Does it help? Hell yes. I can't count how many patients from every age group that says, "You guys will text me and I appreciate it. I don't need an appointment card." Should they remember that they made the appointment and when it is. Yep, but they don't, and I have had some people act like I just pulled their name out of thin air and made them an appointment. So, we text until a better system comes around.
You are thankfully on top of things. And you care. A lot of these offices are owned by private equity and so centralized there is no intervening in these systems. That being said, please stop the reminders!
My text reminders quit working sometime this weekend. I have had 4 No Shows this morning, lol.
My work is done here hahah!
"Hi, I'm a Democratic candidate for something that may or may not be near you! Polls show us either in a dead heat with or losing to an insane MAGA Republican endorsed by Donald Trump, Lauren Boebert and Kid Rock. If you don't donate before our 9:37 p.m. second-quarter deadline, all manner of horrible things will happen!"
Next day:
"I have terrible news. Polls show the candidate endorsed by Marjorie Taylor-Greene and the dude from QAnon are leading. We're facing an IMMINENT DEADLINE of 7:38 p.m. TONIGHT for fund-raising."
Next day:
"Thank you for your support! Polls show that we have pulled into a dead heat in this deeply red district that hasn't voted for a Democrat since the Democrats were racist Reconstructionists! But we can only keep it up if you don't by our 11:58 p.m. deadline tonight."
Gee, how did Harris lose?
Oh the politician and free texting. Arrgh.