CoTreat supports two-way SMS, so patients can reply directly to the SMS version of the Care Pack they receive - turning what used to be a one-way notification into an ongoing conversation your team can manage from inside CoTreat.
In this article:
Where to Find Your Conversations
Look for the messages icon in CoTreat's left-hand navigation - selecting it opens your Conversations panel, where every SMS conversation with a patient lives.
From the Conversations panel you can:
- Switch between Open and Resolved conversations
- Filter to Needs reply - conversations CoTreat has automatically flagged because a patient has sent a message that hasn't had a response yet
- Search by name, number, or message
CoTreat flags a conversation as Needs reply automatically whenever a patient has replied and nobody's responded yet - so nothing sits unanswered without your team noticing.
Managing a Conversation
Select a conversation to see the full message history with that patient, linked to their record. From here you can:
- Reply directly - your reply sends from the same number the original Care Pack SMS came from
- See a notification appear in the thread when the patient clicks "I'd like to proceed" on their Care Pack
- Mark a conversation as Resolved once it's handled, or it'll reopen automatically if the patient replies again later
- Select the + icon at the top of the Conversations panel to start a new conversation yourself
Good to Know
Can we change the number our SMS messages send from, or use a custom sender name?
Not currently - two-way SMS doesn't support a custom sender name, due to restrictions on the mobile carrier side. Messages will always come from the same number.
Since the number won't be immediately recognisable to patients, it's worth mentioning to them ahead of time - before you send a Care Pack - that they'll be receiving a text, so they know to expect it and can save the number if they'd like. This also helps increase open rates.
Are two-way SMS messages charged separately?
No - SMS is included in your subscription, at no additional cost.
What if I have a question that's not covered here?
Email help@cotreat.com.au and our team can help.