By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    stress management for healthcare workers
    3 Tips For Healthcare Professionals: How To Stay Beautiful, Healthy, and Happy
    November 2, 2021
    importance of relaxing on the weekend for your health
    Importance of Relaxing During the Weekend for Optimal Health
    March 25, 2022
    LASIK Eye Surgery
    What Is LASIK Eye Surgery?
    May 16, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    The PCMH and Home Care Data: An Interview with Melissa McCormack
    December 19, 2013
    IT Strategy for Health Plans: Interview with ikaSystems CEO Joe Marabito
    August 11, 2014
    A New Kind of Stress Test
    May 26, 2015
    Latest News
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Are We Missing SMS as a Patient Engagement Opportunity?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Mobile Health > Are We Missing SMS as a Patient Engagement Opportunity?
eHealthMobile HealthTechnology

Are We Missing SMS as a Patient Engagement Opportunity?

mHealth News Editorial Team
mHealth News Editorial Team
Share
3 Min Read
healthcare engagement SMS
SHARE

healthcare engagement SMSIt’s almost a cliché that providers need to reach patients where they want to connect, yet there is an existing option being underused.

No, it’s not mHealth applications – but it has demonstrated some “astounding” results.

healthcare engagement SMSIt’s almost a cliché that providers need to reach patients where they want to connect, yet there is an existing option being underused.

No, it’s not mHealth applications – but it has demonstrated some “astounding” results.

More Read

Why Healthcare Should Sweat “The Small Stuff” When It Comes to Health Data Security
The Top 10 Healthcare Innovations of 2012. How Well Did They Do?
Dreaming of Healthcare Collaboration
Blogging About Sensitive Topics
10 Tips for Beginner Hospital Bloggers

“We tend to think about apps when we think about mobile, and apps are great,” said Travis Good, MD, CEO of catalyze.io, during the AHIMA Convention last Tuesday morning in Atlanta. “But there are simpler solutions we might think about when engaging patients.”

SMS, texting and e-mail are chief among those.

Patient “response and bill pay rates are completely and totally astounding. I mean I’m floored by it,” Good said. “Messaging is something we tend not to think about.”

Because of HIPAA restrictions, Good said, many doctors are also discouraged by SMS, but “HIPAA does allow patients to opt-in to receive SMS messages,” he added.

Although there are not many healthcare-centric SMS services right now, that’s changing. And based on preliminary results and the fact that so many patients have SMS-capable phones, that could change quickly. 

Good pointed to text4baby, a service that messages expecting mothers, saying that 40 percent of patients who receive a text message from text4baby actually call for more information. Equally important, he said, 67 percent ask their provider about something they learned there.

Two front-runners in using SMS to not only reach patients but also collect data on them are the University of Illinois and Denver Health, which Good said are achieving similar engagement rates to text4baby and amassing information on their patient populations by gathering information on health metrics such as blood glucose levels and weight.  

“That is engagement,” Good said. “It’s not an app they have to download. You’re reaching them with what they already have.”

He also pointed deeper into the future, toward mHealth technologies like medical sensors that a patients swallow with a pill. Such a sensor would measure stomach acid and send the data to a patch on the body that, in turn, transmits information to a smartphone, which can deliver it anywhere. Another example would be smart pill bottles that track when patients miss taking or refilling their medications.

“We still have to figure out how to motivate patients” to use those kinds of technologies, Good added, “but messaging might be a part of it.”

Original Post
 
(SMS / shutterstock)
TAGGED:SMS
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

9 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Add Years to Your Life
9 Healthcare Lifestyle Tweaks That can Add Years to Your Life
lifestyle
July 11, 2025
car accident lawsuit
Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
Policy & Law
July 6, 2025
women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025

You Might also Like

How to Evaluate Pathology Reporting Software

September 5, 2014

SoundBite Medical Device Connects with Teeth To Restore Hearing For Those Who are Deaf In One Ear

July 12, 2012
eHealthHealth carePublic HealthTechnology

Transparent Health Market Data Helps Patients Save Money on Healthcare

January 15, 2018
patient engagement
eHealthMobile HealthTechnologyWellness

Patient Engagement in Healthcare: Stewards of the Brand Promise

February 8, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?