Staying on top of client appointments has never been easier with Kalix's advanced appointment reminder system. Designed to maximize client engagement and reduce no-shows, Kalix allows you to send up to 5 automated appointment reminders, fully customizable to meet the needs of your practice. You can choose exactly when reminders are sent based on the number of days or hours before the appointment (with each reminder spaced at least 8 hours apart.)
Kalix’s reminders offer flexibility with multiple messaging methods (email, text message, or text-to-voice), and you can even use multiple methods simultaneously, such as sending both an SMS and an email. Whether you want to keep clients informed through emails or ensure a personal touch with text-to-voice calls, Kalix has you covered. Best of all, email reminders are free, ensuring efficient communication without added costs.
Kalix also supports Appointment Notices, which are automatically sent when a new appointment is created, or an existing appointment is modified.
To send text messages and text-to-voice messages, you must purchase prepaid credit. Click here for pricing. Email reminders are free.
Kalix also supports another type of appointment messaging called Appointment Notices. These are sent when you create a new appointment or edit an existing appointment's details.
Four main steps must be completed in order to send automated reminders from your account.
Contents of this article:
Setting up Appointment Reminders
Enable reminders
Customize reminder messages
Enter valid client contact details and select a reminder method
Tick the Reminder checkbox on the Appointment screen (automatic)
If additional troubleshooting around sending out appointment reminders is needed, click here.
US users, it is important that you are aware of current information regarding Kalix's automated reminders and HIPAA compliance. Click here to view it.
1) Enable Messaging
Before you send appointment reminder messages through Kalix, you must enable the reminders in your account.
2) Customize Reminder Messages
Kalix allows you to enter customized reminder messages. Using merge fields, Kalix will fill out each reminder message with the client's specific appointment information before sending it.
To customize your appointment reminder messages, click on Messaging on the top menu bar. Then, scroll down to Automated Messages and click on edit message templates for each reminder.
Kalix allows you to enter a different reminder message for each reminder method (email, SMS, and Text-to-voice). As shown below, you can click on the reminder method that you'd like to enter a message.
Email Reminder Messages
Kalix allows you to customize your email reminder message in several different ways:
Enter an email subject in the email subject field. This will be the text that appears as the subject for all email reminder messages.
Enter your own appointment reminder message by typing it into the email message field.
Use the format bar to format the email message appearance (e.g., add bold, italics, headers, bullets, numbering, and tables).
Add small images, e.g., your practice's logo, into the message.
Enter merge fields, Kalix will use these merge fields to auto fill the client and appointment specific information. See the section Merge Fields below for further info.
Virtual (Telehealth) Appointments
If the appointment reminder is for a virtual (telehealth) appointment, Kalix will automatically add information about connecting to the meeting (including the meeting link and access code.
Client Responses
Clients can reply to email reminder messages. You will receive an email notification when a client's response is received.
SMS (Text) Messages
Kalix allows you to customize your SMS (text) reminder message in a number of different ways:
Enter your own appointment reminder message by typing in the SMS reminders field.
Enter merge fields into the SMS message. Kalix will use these merge fields to auto-fill the client and appointment-specific information. See the section Merge Fields below for further info.
Client Responses
Appointments can be confirmed if the client responds with Y or YES to the SMS (the appointment slot will change color to lavender purple with white writing). Appointments can be canceled if the client responds with N or NO (the appointment slot will change to orange with white writing).
Text-to-voice Messages
Kalix allows you to customize your text-to-voice reminder message in a number of different ways:
Enter your own appointment reminder message by typing in the text-to-voice message field.
Choose the accent and gender of the voice. Click here for more details.
Choose the client responses to be included as menu options at the end of the message.
Client Responses
Text-to-voice reminders can be sent to landlines and cell phones. Client responses can also be included as menu options at the end of the message. Clients make their choice by entering the corresponding number on the phone keypad. You can choose which of the client responses are included in your message by selecting the appropriate tick boxes under Client Responses (as shown below). Available Client responses include:
Confirm Appointment: the appointment status of the specific appointment will be updated to confirm.
Cancel Appointment: The specific appointment's status will be updated to cancel. Click here for further information about appointment status.
Connect to Phone Number: the text-to-voice phone call will connect to your phone number. Enter the number that you wish the text-to-voice message to connect to into the Return Number field, as shown below.
End Phone Call: will cause the text-to-voice message to end.
Repeat Message: will repeat the text-to-voice message.
Text-to-voice reminders also detect pick-up by answering machines (experimental).
Merge Fields
Automated reminder merge fields allow client and appointment-specific information to be automatically added to each reminder message. Merge fields work similar to mail merge fields in Word documents. Add the merge field to the position in the reminder message you wish the details to be placed.
Allowed Merge Fields
Appointment details: inputs the appointment time and date. Kalix obtains this information from the applicable appointment details (Edit/New Appointment screen). To include the appointment details in the appointment reminder message, enter [APPOINTMENT]. If you would like more information about creating appointments, please click here.
Client's first name: inputs the client's first name. Kalix obtains this information from the given name field on the applicable client's Details page. The client must also be linked to the appointment I've included below. To include the client's first name in the appointment reminder message, enter [CLIENTFIRSTNAME]. If you would like more information about the client's details page, please click here. Note: The client's first name is only included in the appointment reminder message for security and privacy reasons.
Clinician's name: inputs the first and last name of the clinician who is conducting the appointment. Kalix obtains this information from the given and last name fields on the My Details page. The clinician must also be selected in the clinician field of the Edit/New Appointment screen (as shown below). To include the clinician's name in the appointment reminder message, enter [CLINICIAN].
Clinician phone number: To add the contact phone number (from their My Details page) for the clinician conducting the appointment, enter [CLINICIANPHONE].
Appointment type: inputs the appointment type. Kalix obtains this information from the applicable appointment details (Edit/New Appointment screen). To include the appointment type in the appointment reminder message, enter [APPOINTMENTTYPE].
Appointment location's name: inputs the name of the location where the appointment is being conducted. Kalix obtains this information from the location name field under the Locations section of the Organization Details page (under settings). The appointment location must also be selected in the location field of the Edit/New Appointment screen (as shown below). To include the location name in the appointment reminder message, enter [LOCATION]. For more details about the location, click here.
Appointment location's address: inputs the location address where the appointment is being conducted. Kalix obtains this information from the location address field under the Locations section of the Organization Details page (under settings). The appointment location must also be selected in the location field of the Edit/New Appointment screen (as shown below) and an address shown. To include the location name in the appointment reminder message, enter [LOCATIONADDRESS]. For more details about the location, click here.
Personal link to register for Nutritionix Track Pro account: inputs the client's unique link to sign up for their free Nutritionix Pro account (or link up their existing account). Enter [NUTRITIONIXLINK]. For more information, click here.
Telehealth link: If the appointment is virtual (i.e., using Kalix's telehealth feature), this merge will add the secure weblink and access code to enter the session. Your clients will click on the link and then enter the access code to enter the session.
Note: merge fields must be written in capitals surrounded by square brackets [ ].
Adding Merge Fields
Place your cursor at the location you wish to add the merge field tag (like you would to start typing)
Click on the Merge Fields button located on the editing bar.
You can just select the merge field you'd like to add.
Alternatively, you can type the merge field in the correct location (using the right format) within the message.
Last Steps
Once appointment reminders have been enabled and your reminder messages are set up, you are ready to go. After creating a new appointment, appointment reminders will be scheduled to be sent out automatically. You do not need to do anything else for appointment reminders to be sent out. However, there are two additional steps that you should know about to make sure that appointment reminders go out successfully.
Enter Valid Client Contact Details and Messaging Method
The client must have the correct messaging method selected on their Client Details page and a valid email and/or phone number. A client's messaging method will be automatically set to the default reminder method selected on the Messaging Settings page. Click here for details. You can change the client's messaging method from the default to another choice on the client's Details page.
Navigate to the Client Details page by clicking on Clients on the top header, followed by Clients. Locate your client in your client list and click on their name to view their file. On the client cover page, click on the section Details to view the details page. On the details page, scroll down to the subsection Contact Details. Select the desired reminder method in the reminder method field.
It is also important that the client has a valid email and/or phone number saved against their contact details. Contact phone numbers must contain your state area code.
Note: Kalix allows you to save unlimited contact phone numbers against the client's Details page. If you save multiple numbers for a particular client, Kalix will send automated reminders to the first entered phone number.
