Brandon Daniell, president and co-founder of Dialog Health, discusses the value of a patient texting for hospitals in a Becker's Hospital Review column. In his column — "8 reasons why hospitals need a patient texting platform" — Daniell shares facts, figures and anecdotes concerning several different types of communication channels typically relied upon by hospitals. He then explains why patient texting, including two-way texting, is likely to be a hospital's most effective and efficient means of connecting with patients. To access Daniell's column on hospital patient texting click on image.

Thank you ASCA...what a great show! And huge thanks for the opportunity to present on improving patient engagement solutions with two-way texting. We appreciate all the work you do for your members. Looking forward to the next one. Some of the Dialog Health gang at Ambulatory Surgery Center Association conference.

We just returned from the ASCA (Ambulatory Surgery Center Association) conference in Nashville. We are ecstatic to see the healthcare industry embracing Two-way Texting to improve patient engagement. When we first started Dialog Health many years ago there were many who said “My patients are older and they don’t text.” We have proven that to be a myth time and time again. We have one client that has sent millions of text messages to millions of their patients…who has proven age is not a barrier to texting. Not only do they have hundreds of patients in their 90s who reply to their text messages but their data shows that patients who are 55+ reply to texts almost twice as much as patients under 55. Texting is how we communicate today...no matter the age. Let's embrace it.

I always enjoy hosting clients and guests in Nashville. I used to joke that the city is amazing, now that we have indoor plumbing. :) Now I just suggest where they should go for food, drinks, and quality entertainment. Suggesting a music venue for someone to visit in Nashville is like having to pick the child you love the most. My suggestion is walk up and down Broadway between the Cumberland River and 4th Ave, and let the music draw you into an establishment. If you happen to go to Robert’s Western World - you can thank me later. For a drink, any place that has live music will also be serving up libations, but if you are really keen on seeking out the perfect cocktail, make your way to The Patterson House Now when it comes to food in Nashville, start with the list on Eater. Two of my personal favorites are Rolf & Daughters and Henrietta Red. Of course, Nashville Hot Chicken is a must for many people. And if you need any suggestions while you are in town, feel free to text me on 615 429 4252

We think this would be a great group emergency text message. :) Dialog Health's two-way texting platform has proven to be an essential communication tool during all the foul weather this past winter...from Ice Storms to Winter Bomb Cyclone (yes, I was stuck in this). We have helped our clients reach thousands and thousands of their patients and staff in just a matter of minutes with emergency weather-related #TextMessages. We look forward to the client who wants their emergency text message to be "GET OUTSIDE. THE SUN IS OUT." Are you that client? #textmessage #sms #healthcare #grouptext #masstext #broadcastsms # textingsolutions #cloudbased

We always talk about our best-in-class healthcare texting solution.... sometimes we forget to mention how great it is for other popular use cases. Reducing accounts receivables is just another great way to use our two-way texting platform.... we even have a case study on it. But don't take our word for it... INCREASED CASH FLOW BY REDUCING ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES BY 54% IN JUST 6 WEEKS “By working with Dialog Health, we were able to reduce the outstanding balances by over half in about six weeks. My staff found the direct texting to be far more efficient and pleasant than making many phone calls, and not having to send letters reduced our expenses.” - Barry Cullen, Regional Vice President, USPI Reduce your Accounts Receivables using Dialog Health's two-way texting solution.

Texting is my most preferred method of communication. Yes, of course, I still talk to my mother every week and have calls with friends to catch-up but for immediate, need to know now information....I prefer Text messages. And guess what? I'm not alone. *According to Pew Research, Texting is the most widely used feature on smartphones. So when I hear a potential customer say "My patients just don't text." I just smile and say let's ask them...I think you'll be surprised.

Texting is not a "trend"...it's part of our lives and how we communicate today. Reports show that mobile usage will only continue to rise. Don't get left behind. Learn more about our easy-to-use, cloud-based, HIPAA compliant two-way texting platform.  One platform with multiple solutions - from Automated Appointment Reminders to Recall Campaigns to Group Emergency Texts. Improving your patient engagement is as easy as sending a text. #healthcareindustry #healthcaremarketing #healthcareit #healthcaremanagement #healthcareleaders #twowaytexting #sms #leaderinhealthcaretexting #hipaacompliance #cloudbased #ASCtextingsolution #hospitalmanagement #reducenoshows #automatedsms #groupsms #increacecompliance #revenuemanagement #twowaytextprovider

The hardest working part of the US healthcare system: Caregivers I come from family of doctors. Growing up, I always took it for granted that healthcare was convenient and easy. Whenever anyone in my family needed a medical appointment, all it took was a call from my father to a colleague and “bingo” there was an appointment on the books – usually for the next day. So when I returned to Nashville in 2008 to spend time with my grandmother as she was nearing the end of her life, I was shocked by how the healthcare system I once saw as easy and convenient had driven my mom to tears as she played the roll of primary caregiver to my grandmother. My mom, married to a doctor and with a sister and brother in law who are doctors, was left wallowing for answers and help on what to do for my grandmother. The healthcare system that was treating my grandmother was woefully falling short when it came to supporting and educating my mom on what she should be doing to help my grandmother. This week the NY Times ran an article on the “gaping hole” in the US healthcare industry: “Caregivers aren’t supported, and America overlooks their importance”. The article stated “Americans spend so much time debating so many aspects of health care, including insurance and access. Almost none of that covers the actual impossibility and hardship faced by the many millions of friends and family members who are caregivers. It’s hugely disrupting and expensive. There’s no system for it. It’s a gaping hole.” As I watched the tears of frustration stream down my mom’s face back in 2008, I made a promise to do what little part I could. At the time, my business partner and I were starting Dialog Health to enable two way texting as a way to remind, educate, and support patients on key things they needed to do relevant to their health. The day after I made the promise to help caregivers, we designed a caregiver communication option in the Dialog Health platform. To this day it is the feature in our system of which I am most proud. Let me end by saying that most of you reading this blog post are likely to be caregivers one day. If you know someone who is currently a caregiver, give them a hug and hand. Believe me, one day you will want both as well. At the very least, send them a text of encouragement - their phones will still get it even when they are in the “gaping hole".

I sometime describe our Two-way texting communication platform as easy, cheap and fun (very similar to my Bumble profile :). What's not to love? So, if your interested...let's talk about TEXT. So many reasons to love our two-way texting solution including improving your recall campaigns. Not only does it drastically increase recall appointments but by using Dialog Health's solution your facility can replace hours of phone calls and heaps of letters with automated text messages that patients are checking within minutes. And not to worry...Dialog Health is HIPAA compliant; cloud-based; easy-to-use; and quick to start. Swipe right.

An ASC in Dallas saw their online rating on YELP go from 1.5 stars to 3.5 stars in just 30 days by using the Dialog Health's two-way texting platform to follow up with patients after their appointment, the facility was able to have the patients rate their experience EXCELLENT, GOOD, AVERAGE or POOR. Those patients who responded EXCELLENT were automatically sent a text thanking them for their response and providing them a direct link to Yelp. Importantly, the facility was able to identify which patients were not satisfied with their visit and engage them with a phone call to address any issues. Your on-line reputation has never been more important...engaging with your patients via texting can help you discover how to improve patient satisfaction and consequently your on-line reputation.

After the sixth call from spammers I may have cursed at my phone. My last blog post shared CNN's article "Nearly half the calls we receive this year will be spam!" Unfortunately, I get to experience this every day. Most people I know do not answer "unknown caller" calls but in my position, I must answer all my calls...even the unknown. Which is catch-22 as answering my phone makes me get even more spam calls...even being on the "don't not call" list. My fury and disgust at these spammers is two-fold...first for taking advantage of people (there's a special place in hell for spammers) second, when people stop answering their phones they can miss very important information such as "Friendly reminder to NOT eat or drink after midnight tonight for your surgery tomorrow." That's a pretty important message. These spammers did me a favor today. They reminded me of the great work we are doing at Dialog Health...helping Healthcare get their important messages to their patients via Text (98% open rate). So, I am channeling all my fury at these spammers and continuing to get the word out about Two-way Texting. I’m fighting the good fight. Spammers be damned.