How the Healthcare Sector Uses SMS to Cut Costs and Improve Patient Communication
SMS & The Healthcare Industry
: 21st April 2025
Reducing Missed Appointments with SMS
The NHS estimates that almost 8 million hospital appointments are missed each year in England, costing over £1,000,000,000 annually. Many of these are Did Not Attend (DNA) cases, which waste valuable time and resources. By sending timely SMS reminders, healthcare providers can cut down on missed appointments, free capacity for other patients, and reduce financial strain.
Who Benefits from SMS Messaging?
SMS communication is valuable for a wide range of healthcare providers, including hospitals, dental surgeries, senior care facilities, regional health services, outpatient departments, specialist clinics, private practices, and complementary health providers. All can use SMS to streamline appointment management, share critical updates, and improve patient engagement.
Faster, More Reliable Patient Communication
SMS is a quick and reliable way to send test results, share appointment confirmations, and deliver urgent alerts. Two-way SMS allows patients to confirm or reschedule instantly, while medical alert systems can notify patients about real-time waiting times, reducing unnecessary travel and queuing.
Enhancing Safety and Care
Timely SMS alerts can notify patients when urgent action is required, whether to collect medication, attend a procedure, or seek immediate medical help. For vulnerable patients, such as the elderly or those with chronic conditions, fast communication can make a critical difference.
Improving Staff Coordination
SMS is equally valuable for staff communication. Shifts, rota changes, closures, and emergency updates can be sent instantly to entire teams, ensuring information is received without delays. Staff can respond at their convenience, helping to keep services running smoothly and efficiently.
Lowering Costs and Increasing Efficiency
By reducing missed appointments and minimising administrative time spent on phone calls and letters, SMS saves money and frees up staff resources. Affordable bulk SMS services, like those from Cosmic SMS, help healthcare organisations run more efficiently while improving patient care.
Get in touch with Cosmic SMS today to see how our healthcare messaging solutions can improve patient outcomes, increase staff efficiency, and save your organisation money.
