Effective communication with patients plays a critical role in reducing no‑shows and keeping appointment schedules accurate. MediRecords allows practices to configure SMS appointment reminders that notify patients of upcoming appointments and, if enabled, allow them to confirm or cancel in real time. This helps keep your appointment book up to date while saving administrative staff valuable time.
In this article, you’ll learn how to configure default reminder types for providers, set and customise SMS templates, add Coviu telehealth links, understand when SMS reminders are sent, and enable two‑way SMS confirmations and cancellations.
Contents:
Configuring the Default Appointment Reminder Type
To configure the default reminder type:
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Go to More, then Settings, and choose Subscription Details.
- Select Users.
- Tick the provider you want to update and click Configure.
- Open the Appointments tab, select either SMS (Auto-Sent) or Email (Manual) in Default Send Reminder, and then click Save.
Setting a Default SMS Template
Once you have created an SMS template for appointment reminders, you can set it as the default.
To set a default SMS template:
- Go to More > Settings > SMS Templates.
- Select the template you want to use for appointment reminders and click the edit icon.
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Tick the Default checkbox and then click Save.
This template will now be used unless overridden by user or appointment‑type settings.
Configuring Reminders Per Appointment Type
Appointment Types can now be configured with an SMS template to enable automated, appointment type-specific messaging to patients. This enhancement allows different appointment types to send tailored instructions (such as fasting requirements or preparation notes), improving automation and reducing manual communication.
MediRecords now follows a priority order when sending SMS reminders: user-level template overrides take precedence first, followed by the appointment type template, and finally the tenant default template as a fallback.
- Go to Settings
- Select Appointment
- Select the Practice
- Click Appointment Types
- Click the Appointment Type you wish to configure
- This will open a window of the Appointment Type you selected
- Locate SMS Template dropdown
- Select your desired Template
- Click Save
Upon initial creation of an appointment and selection of the configured appointment type, the patient should automatically receive an SMS reminder based on the template assigned to that appointment type.
Adding Coviu Links to an SMS Template
If your practice offers telehealth appointments using Coviu, you can include a Coviu consultation link directly in your SMS reminders.
To add a Coviu link:
- Go to More > Settings > SMS Templates.
- Edit your Default SMS Template by clicking the pen icon.
- Insert the merge field {CoviuURL} where you want the link to appear.
- Ensure the template includes the Provider Name merge field to generate the correct URL, then click Save.
The Coviu link will automatically populate based on the provider’s next telehealth appointment with the patient.
When Are SMS Reminders Sent?
SMS appointment reminders are sent by the system every two hours, based on each appointment’s reminder settings.
You can view or confirm this by opening an appointment and checking its reminder configuration.
Two‑Way SMS Appointment Confirmations & Cancellations
Two‑way SMS allows patients to confirm or cancel appointments directly from their reminder message, updating your appointment book in real time.
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Enabling two‑way SMS confirmations
To enable confirmations and cancellations, you need to add the appointment confirmation link to your SMS template.
- Go to More > Settings > SMS Templates.
- Edit your Default SMS Template by clicking the edit icon.
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Add the merge field {sms-template.AppConfirm} to the message and then click Save.
- Go to More > Settings > SMS Templates.
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What patients see
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Patients receive an SMS containing a confirmation link.
- When opened, the link allows them to Confirm or Cancel the appointment.
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Patients receive an SMS containing a confirmation link.
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How this appears in MediRecords
Booked appointments appear in blue (depending on filters).
ℹ️ Note:
- Once confirmed, the appointment status updates to Confirmed and appears yellow-green.
- If cancelled, the status updates to Cancelled and appears grey.
- These changes occur in real time on the appointment screen.
Troubleshooting
A patient says their SMS confirmation link isn’t working
Cause: Once a patient has confirmed or cancelled via the link, it cannot be used again.
Resolution: Confirm whether the patient has already used the link once. If so, they will need to contact the practice directly for any further changes to the appointment.
Escalate when: the link has not been used before but still doesn’t work.
An SMS reminder wasn’t sent at the expected time
Cause: SMS reminders are sent by the system every two hours based on each appointment’s reminder settings, so the exact send time can vary within that window. If the reminder is set to the day before, it is sent at the close of business on the previous day.
Resolution: Open the appointment and check its reminder configuration to confirm when the reminder is due to be sent. See When Are SMS Reminders Sent? above.
Escalate when: the reminder has not been sent well beyond its expected send window.
The Coviu link in an SMS reminder is missing or blank
Cause: The template is missing the {CoviuURL} merge field, or is missing the Provider Name merge field needed to generate the correct URL.
Resolution: Check the template includes both merge fields. See Adding Coviu Links to an SMS Template above.
Escalate when: both merge fields are present but the link is still missing or blank.
A confirmation link says the appointment has already occurred
Cause: This is expected behaviour once an appointment is marked as Completed; the appointment will also appear green on the calendar.
Resolution: No action is needed unless the appointment has been marked Completed incorrectly, in which case correct its status first.
Escalate when: the appointment is not actually Completed but the link still shows this message.
Further Reading
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