You might encounter a situation where a patient receives multiple recall emails within a short period of time. This typically happens when two different triggers overlap — for example, a reactivation email after an attended appointment and a cancellation reminder after a cancelled appointment that occurred in the meantime.
We understand that managing patient communications can be complex, especially when it comes to automated recalls.
Here’s a guide to help you avoid such overlaps and ensure a smoother communication experience for your patients.
Why recall overlap happens
Multiple recall emails can be sent to a patient due to different triggers set up within Peptalkr:
Reactivation for patients with no upcoming appointment: This email is triggered a specific number of weeks after an appointment if the patient has no upcoming appointments or any new appointments since.
Cancellation recall for patients who haven't booked since their cancellation: This email is triggered after an appointment is cancelled if the patient has not rescheduled.
When these two scenarios happen around the same time, it can result in a patient receiving two recall emails in quick succession. While both emails are triggered correctly, it’s understandable that you may want to avoid such overlaps.
🧐 Example of the issue
Lets say:
You have a reactivation set to send 3 weeks after an appointment is attended.
You have a cancellation recall set to send 2 weeks after a cancellation.
Let's say the patient attends an appointment, then schedules another one for the following week - then cancels it.
That patient will receive the:
Reactivation 3 weeks after the attended appointment
Cancellation recall 2 weeks after the cancelled appointment
As the timing is set to 3 weeks, then 2 weeks - they may receive the two recalls on the same day or within a short period of one another.
✅ What we recommend
Reactivations should take a longer term approach to timing, whereas cancellation recalls should be shorter term.
You can rely on your existing reactivation recalls to do the 'long term' work.
For example - here's an optimal recall setup:
❌ Immediate Cancellation Confirmation:
Send a confirmation of the cancellation with a link to reschedule the appointment immediately after the cancellation (e.g., 5 minutes after the appointment is cancelled).
📆 Reminder to Reschedule:
Send a reminder email to reschedule the cancelled appointment if the patient hasn’t rebooked within a certain short period (e.g., 1 week after the cancellation).
⚡️ No Appointment Reactivations
If the patient has attended an appointment, but does not book another appointment, they will receive the regular follow-up recalls based on their last attended appointment. For example:
1 month after their last attended appointment: Sends a reminder to book another appointment 4 weeks after the last attended appointment.
3 months after their last attended appointment: Sends another follow-up email 3 months after the last attended appointment if they still have not rebooked.
💡 Additional tips
Review your settings regularly: Make sure to review your notification triggers periodically to avoid overlaps.
Monitor patient feedback: If you receive feedback from a patient about receiving about multiple emails, consider adjusting your triggers and intervals accordingly.
Stay updated on new features: Keep an eye out for updates from Peptalkr regarding new settings that may help manage your triggers more effectively.