Messages are secure threads between a patient and the clinic. The patient writes from the patient account (see Patient account), you reply on the Messages screen in the main menu. The message text is never sent by e-mail or text message.

Turning it on

The owner or an admin turns on Allow messages from patients in the patient account in Settings → Messages with patients (off by default). Messages need patient accounts turned on in Settings → Online booking. Optionally fill in:

  • an automatic reply – the patient sees it right after sending a new message; say when they can expect a reply,
  • when we reply – a short note next to the message form.

The patient always sees a notice next to the form that messages are not meant for emergencies (in an emergency call 155).

What the patient sends

The patient picks a topic (appointment, payment, exercise, other), writes the text and can attach a photo or a PDF up to 10 MB. The attachment first goes through an antivirus check – nobody can download it before that. The number of messages and open threads is limited so nobody can flood the inbox.

Who sees what

  • The owner, admins and reception see all threads of the clinic.
  • A therapist sees threads assigned to them and threads of their patients (patients they have an appointment with).
  • The accountant does not see messages.

Internal notes do not belong in threads – the patient sees every clinic message.

Handling a message

  1. The Messages menu item shows the number of unread threads. The list shows the patient, topic and time, not the message text.
  2. Open a thread – the whole conversation is shown with a link to the patient record and to the appointment in the message (or the next appointment).
  3. You can assign the thread to a colleague and reply. The patient gets a “You have a new message” e-mail without the content; during the clinic quiet hours it arrives in the morning, and if the patient reads the reply in the meantime, no e-mail is sent.
  4. When done, choose Mark as resolved. A new message from the patient reopens the thread.

The list updates by itself; a live update never clears a reply you are writing.

Security and retention

Message content is stored encrypted. Every time a thread is opened it is recorded in the audit log and shown on the patient record in the Access tab. Messages cannot be edited or deleted and belong to the patient record just like health documentation; they stay even after the patient account is deleted. The clinic data export contains threads and attachments.