SMS Notifications Channelling - hmislk/hmis GitHub Wiki
SMS Notifications in Channelling
The channelling module supports SMS notifications to keep patients informed about their appointments. SMS messages are sent automatically at key events in the booking lifecycle and can also be sent manually.
What Triggers an SMS
| Event | SMS Sent To | Message Content |
|---|---|---|
| Booking confirmed | Patient | Confirmation with consultant name, date, time, and token number |
| Appointment reminder | Patient | Reminder 24 hours (or configured lead time) before the session |
| Session cancelled | Patient | Notification that the session has been cancelled |
| Booking cancelled | Patient | Confirmation that their booking has been cancelled |
| Booking rescheduled | Patient | New date, time, and token number |
| Doctor leave / holiday | Patient | Advisory that the session will not run |
SMS triggers are configurable per event type. Contact your administrator to enable or disable specific triggers.
SMS Content
Messages are templated. Typical content includes:
Booking Confirmation:
"Dear [Patient Name], your appointment with [Dr. Name] ([Speciality]) is confirmed for [Date] at [Time]. Your token number is [No]. [Hospital Name]."
Reminder:
"Reminder: Your appointment with [Dr. Name] is tomorrow, [Date] at [Time]. Token: [No]. [Hospital Name]."
Templates are configured in the SMS gateway settings. See SMS Configuration and Gateway Setup.
Patient Phone Number
SMS messages are sent to the mobile number registered against the patient's profile. If no mobile number is on record, the SMS is not sent. Ensure the patient's phone number is captured during registration or at the time of booking.
Viewing SMS Status
Sent SMS records can be reviewed in the SMS reports section. See SMS Configuration and Gateway Setup for the reports location.
Manual SMS
In some configurations, staff can manually trigger an SMS from the booking or session screen — for example, to notify all patients in a session that the doctor is running late. This requires the appropriate privilege and the manual SMS feature to be enabled.
SMS for Clinic Appointments
The same SMS framework applies to clinic appointments. Booking confirmations and reminders can be sent to clinic patients using the same templates and gateway.
SMS Costs and Delivery
Each SMS is billed by the SMS gateway provider. Delivery reports (delivered, failed, pending) are tracked in the SMS log and available in the SMS reports.