Communication with patients
Priory Medical Centre Adopts Email as Preferred Patient Communication Method for routine correspondence
Priory Medical Centre is updating its approach to patient communication to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. From now on, our preferred method of contacting patients for routine matters will be via email rather than text messages. Any urgent matters, or where more appropriate, patients will still be communicated with using SMS or telephone calls. Self booking links will still continue to be sent via SMS.
Consultations between patients & GP’s via booked appointments will still continue to be through telephone calls initially, with the clinician booking any Face to Face appointments as required.
This change is part of our ongoing efforts to streamline communication and ensure that patients receive important updates, appointment reminders, and medical information in a cost-effective and accessible manner. We will be using the Accurx platform to facilitate these communications, ensuring a secure and reliable service for our patients.
How do I know the messages are safe, secure & from Priory Medical Centre?
Any emails sent by Priory Medical Centre will be received displaying an @nhs.net email address – for example, no-reply.accurx11@nhs.net
Any SMS messages sent by Priory Medical Centre will be received displaying PrioryMed as the sender.
Patients will then know that these messages are genuine and directly from Priory Medical Centre.
Why the Change?
- Cost Savings: SMS messages incur a higher cost per message, whereas emails allow us to communicate more efficiently while keeping costs manageable.
- Improved Communication: Emails provide more space for detailed information, reducing the need for multiple follow-ups.
- Streamlined System: By focusing on a single primary communication method, we can ensure consistency and reliability for all patient interactions.
What This Means for You
To ensure you continue receiving important updates from us, we kindly ask that all patients check that their email address is up to date with the practice. If you have not provided an email address, we encourage you to do so at your earliest convenience via this link – Update your details « Priory Medical Centre
We understand that some patients may still prefer text messaging for urgent notifications. In such cases, we will continue to use SMS selectively where necessary.
Should a clinician need a response from the patient, a link will be provided for the patient to respond back via. replying directly to the SMS or email may mean this is not received.
Any further information?
Thank you for your support as we transition to this improved communication method. If you have any questions or need assistance updating your contact details, please speak to a member of our reception team.
Priory Medical Centre remains committed to providing the best possible care, and we appreciate your cooperation in making our communication more efficient and effective.
