Overview
Welcome and milestone campaigns automatically message a patient once, at the right moment: when their patient file is created, shortly before their first appointment, after their first appointment, or when they reach a milestone such as their fifth or tenth appointment.
Each one uses a saved report filter that finds patients at that moment, and a campaign set to send once so that each patient is only messaged one time.
It is expected that both of the following articles have been read before reading this one:
Choosing a report
I want to... | Use this report |
Welcome patients when their patient file is created | Patient List |
Welcome patients in the days before their first appointment | Patient List |
Message patients after their first appointment | Patient Statistics |
Message patients when they reach their fifth, tenth or any other appointment | Patient Statistics |
Welcome new patients with the Patient List
There are two ways to welcome new patients. Choose the one that suits how your clinic books new patients.
Option 1: When the patient file is created
This works well when patients usually have their first appointment soon after their file is created. Patients are messaged shortly after their file is created, whether or not they have an appointment booked.
Step 1: Open the Patient List report
Go to Reports > Patients > Patient List.
Step 2: Set the filters
Filter | Setting |
Patient | Active patients |
Created Date Range | Last 7 Days |
Leave the other filters blank.
Note: The date range matters. Without it, the campaign would message every patient on file the first time it runs. Last 7 Days is longer than a daily schedule, so a missed run does not skip anyone, and because the campaign sends once, patients are not messaged again while they are still inside the range.
Step 3: Check the results and save the filters
Select Generate Report to see the patients who match, then select Save Filters, enter a name such as "New patients", and select Save. Learn how to save report filters.
Option 2: In the days before their first appointment
This works well when patient files can be created weeks or months before the first appointment, for example when your clinic has a waiting list. Instead of messaging patients when their file is created, you message them when their first appointment is coming up.
Step 1: Open the Patient List report
Go to Reports > Patients > Patient List.
Step 2: Set the filters
Filter | Setting |
Patient | Active patients |
Appointment Date Range | Relative range that starts tomorrow and ends 7 days from now |
Appointment Type | Your initial consult appointment type or types |
Leave the other filters blank.
Note: Because the campaign sends once, each patient is messaged the first time they appear in the results. That is the first run after their initial consult falls within the next 7 days, or the first run after the appointment is booked if it is already within the next 7 days. A patient booked further ahead is not messaged until the appointment gets closer. Appointments booked for today are not included.
Make sure Appointment Type only includes your initial consult types. If you leave it blank, patients with any upcoming appointment would be included, including existing patients.
Step 3: Check the results and save the filters
Select Generate Report to see the patients who match, then select Save Filters, enter a name such as "Upcoming initial consults", and select Save. Learn how to save report filters.
Then follow Creating the campaign below.
Message patients after their first appointment or a milestone with Patient Statistics
The Patient Statistics report counts each patient's appointments. You use two date ranges: a short one to find patients who were seen recently, and a long one to count their appointments. A campaign set to send once then messages each patient when they first appear, which is after the appointment has taken place.
Step 1: Open the Patient Statistics report
Go to Reports > Patients > Patient Statistics.
Step 2: Find patients who were seen recently
On the left, set Patient to Active patients.
Under By Appointment, select Appointment Date Range, open the date picker, select the Relative tab and under Custom choose Between. Enter 7 Days and 1 Days ago.
This returns patients who had an appointment in the last week, not including today. Because the campaign only looks at the last week, it does not message patients who reached the milestone long ago, and an appointment later today cannot trigger a message before it happens.
When the message is sent: These campaigns always send after the appointment, never before it. For example, if a patient has their fifth appointment on Tuesday, they are counted as having five appointments from Wednesday. They then appear in the report and are messaged the next time the campaign runs, which with a daily schedule is Wednesday. If a run is missed, the patient still matches for up to 7 days, so they are picked up on the next run.
Step 3: Count the appointments
On the right, select Filter statistics manually and leave Copy patient search filtering unticked, so the count uses its own date range.
Under By Appointment, select Appointment Date Range and choose Between again. Enter 10 Years and 1 Days ago. Only appointments in this range are counted.
Select Total appointments between and enter the same number in both boxes. Patients are only included while they have exactly that many appointments.
Milestone | Total appointments between |
First appointment | 1 and 1 |
Fifth appointment | 5 and 5 |
Tenth appointment | 10 and 10 |
Note: Leave only patients without future appointments unticked. It would leave out patients who have already booked their next visit.
You can also use Appointment Type or Appointment with in this section to count only certain appointments, for example appointments at one business.
Step 4: Check the results and save the filters
Select Generate Report to see the patients who match. These are the patients who will be messaged the first time the campaign runs.
Select Save Filters, enter a clear name such as "First appointment" or "Fifth appointment", and select Save. Learn how to save report filters.
Creating the campaign
Go to Reports > Campaigns and select Edit, then Add Campaign.
Enter a Campaign Name.
Set Report to Patient List or Patient Statistics, and Saved Filters to the filters you just saved.
Choose the Type, Business and SMS/Email Template.
Under When to Send, set Repeat to Daily. Patients are then messaged soon after they are added, in the days before their first appointment, or the day after their appointment.
Under How often to send, select Once, the first time they appear in the report results.
Select Save.
Tips
Keep the patient date range at least as long as the gap between runs. If you choose a weekly schedule, use at least 7 days. Because the campaign sends once, a longer range does not cause repeat messages.
Create a separate saved filter and campaign for each milestone.
Only patients who have opted into email or SMS marketing receive campaign messages.
Campaign messages can use patient merge fields. See Merge Fields: Full List & Troubleshooting for the full list.
To see who has been messaged, go to Reports > Campaigns and select the campaign.