You can initiate a message to any patient on your practice list. Not just those who have a Patchs account. For further information on messaging patients who don't have a Patchs account, please see this article.
This video shows you how you can send an outbound 'reply required' message (with attachments) to patients.
1. Find the patient you want to message...
You can do this by either:
Opening the patient in your clinical system and clicking the 'Message' icon on the Patchs toolbar.
Or searching by NHS Number:
- Select 'Patients' on the top navigation menu
- Click on 'Search by NHS Number'
- Type their NHS number into the search box and press 'Enter'
Or going to the patients page and searching for them:
- Select 'Patients' on the top navigation menu
- Type their name into the search box and press 'Enter'
- Click on the patient you want to message.
2. Send message
You can send information to patients in a number of ways:
Message response options
Reply required
If your message includes a question that requires a response from the patient, use the Reply required button to send the message.
Your message will be sent to the patient and will be moved to the 'Awaiting response' inbox. When the patient responds, it will be moved into your personal inbox.
Reply not required
If your message doesn't require a response from the patient, use the Reply not required button to send the message or the Reply not required - save to clinical system button if you also want the message to be saved to the clinical system.
Your message will be sent to the patient with an email and/or SMS notification (based on how you choose to send it) and will be visible on their 'All Requests and Messages' tab.
Don't share more information than necessary
Theoretically someone else could access information you send patients, for example a controlling partner that has access to the patient's phone. Therefore we recommend not sharing more information than you have already been provided (if you are responding to a message) unless you have confirmed you are communicating directly with the patient themselves, for example, you have spoken to them on the telephone first.