Maximize Patient Education with Broadcast Messaging: 9 Ways to Engage Patients & Best Practices to Follow 

Healthcare isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days when patients simply relied on doctors for information; today, they want to be active participants in their healthcare journey, understanding their diagnoses, treatment options, and how to live healthier lives.  

Think about it: if you’re diagnosed with a medical condition, wouldn’t you want to know everything you can about it? How does it affect your body, what treatments are available, how to manage your condition, and the health tips to follow in the future? That’s where patient health education comes in. It’s like giving patients the tools to take charge of their own health. 

But how can healthcare organizations reach large patient groups with valuable educational content tailored to their specific conditions?  Here is where patient broadcast messaging can make the process easier for practices.

Why Patient Broadcast Messaging Matters?  

Broadcast messaging is a powerful tool for educating and empowering patients. It’s not just about sending information; it’s about reaching a large group of patients quickly and consistently. Whether it is sharing health tips, sending medication usage information, or a notification about a new treatment, broadcast messaging is an effective communication tool to address practice needs.  

Now, let’s dive deeper into its advantages: 

• Communication suited best for wider reach: Broadcast messaging allows providers to reach thousands of patients instantly with real-time updates and health tips, making it the ideal tool for mass communication. For example, during flu season, practices can send reminders to the entire community for getting vaccinated. Or share symptoms and prevention tips with hundreds or even thousands of patients through SMS, and/or email.  

• Personalized messaging for specific health needs: Although broadcast messaging can reach broad audiences, it can still be personalized. Clinics can share tailored health tips, like diabetes management for diabetic patients or heart health advice for those at risk, allowing them to deliver valuable, relevant information aligned with each patient’s needs. 

• Improving staff efficiency: Patient broadcast messaging saves staff time by automating routine communications like sending reminders, health tips, and appointment-related alerts. This reduces inbound calls, improves patient compliance, and allows staff to focus on direct patient care. 

• Building healthy habits through consistent engagement: Health education is an ongoing process, not a one-time one. By sharing regular tips or monthly reminders—like managing stress or staying active—providers can help patients build lasting healthy habits.  

9 Ways to Use Broadcast Messaging: 

With its immense capabilities, practices can leverage broadcast messages for multiple scenarios. Here are some use cases:  

1. Promote vaccination drives:  

Practices can leverage broadcast messages to inform patients about upcoming vaccination drives, making it easy to schedule their shots and stay updated. This helps improve community health and boosts overall participation in preventive healthcare. 

2. Share condition-related tips:  

Practices can send patients tailored health tips based on their conditions, such as diabetes care advice or asthma management. This builds patient engagement and improves health outcomes drastically through consistent communication.  

3. Communicate emergency health alerts:  

Broadcast messaging is a quick and effective channel to share quick alerts about urgent health issues, such as local flu outbreaks or safety guidelines during emergencies. This way, patients can stay informed, helping them take timely action to protect their health. 

For instance, according to a report from Regroup Mass Notification, hospitals efficiently used mass notification systems during the COVID-19 pandemic to share crucial updates with patients and staff.  

4. Remind about follow-up appointments:  

A quick appointment reminder can encourage patients to attend follow-up appointments, preventing no-shows and the hassle of rescheduling calls. Use broadcast messaging to reach out to patients based on their previous appointments and encourage them to visit for their follow-up care.  

5. Send post-op care and recovery tips: 

 Practices can send out post-operation recovery tips and self-care advice. This will help address their fears and promote better care management. 

6. Share medication reminders and usage tips: 

Medication reminders help patients stay on track with their prescriptions, reducing missed doses. Also, by including usage tips, practices can ensure patients take medications safely, which supports adherence and maximizes treatment effectiveness. 

7. Educate about preventive care: 

Clinics can use broadcast messaging to promote regular health check-ups and screenings, keeping preventive care top-of-mind.  

8. Promote upcoming education webinars or events:  

Patients can receive updates on upcoming health webinars or events, allowing them to learn and be empowered to make informed health decisions. 

9. Communicate time-sensitive updates  

From provider unavailability, office closure due to weather, and changes in office timings, broadcast messages can be used to send out timely updates regarding your practice.  

Best Practices for Sending Effective Patient Mass Messaging:  

While broadcast messaging is incredibly beneficial, sending too many random messages can lead to confusion and missed information. For broadcast messaging to be truly effective, healthcare providers should follow these best practices: 

• Keep it simple: Patients are more likely to engage with clear, concise messages. Avoid medical jargon. Use plain language to help everyone understand and act on the information. 

• Personalize your messages: Use patient data to make messages relevant. Tailored communication, like diabetes tips for diabetic patients, adds value and makes messages more engaging. 

• Test different channels: Try SMS, email, or both to see which works best for your patients. Some may respond better to texts, while others prefer emails. 

• Timing matters: Send messages when they’re most impactful. A flu shot reminder early in the season or health tips during the holidays encourage timely preventive care. 

• Make it interactive: Be open to questions and include links to videos, infographics, or scheduling platforms to encourage patients to take the next step in their care. 

• Monitor and adjust: Track how your messages perform—are patients opening them? Clicking on links? Use this data to adjust and refine future messages, ensuring they remain effective and relevant. 

In the past, doctors were the sole gatekeepers of medical knowledge, and patients often passively followed instructions. Today, the modern healthcare model values collaboration, where patients play a more active role in their care. For that to happen, patients need to be well-informed. The future of healthcare is not just about better technology; it’s about better education, communication, and, ultimately, care for everyone.  

With tools like broadcast messaging, we can build a more informed, healthier society. When patients are well-informed, they can take charge of their health. Plus, with patients already aware of procedures, staff and clinicians don’t have to explain things repeatedly. Automating tasks like appointment reminders, follow-ups, and health tips reduces the need for manual calls and emails, giving staff more time to focus on critical tasks. 

What’s the Best Tool to Reach Every Patient with Broadcast Messages?  

If you’re looking to implement broadcast messaging effectively, CheckinAsyst’s patient broadcast messaging can help you send targeted communication that is flexible to your practice needs. From choosing your preferred channel, selecting the right target audience, and personalizing your message for maximum engagement, CheckinAsyst can help you boost patient engagement without all the manual work.