Kaiser Permanente’s SMS reminders go live

By: Brian Dolan | Jan 6, 2010        

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Kaiser PermanenteNearly one year ago, we reported on Kaiser Permanente’s successful pilot program with text message (SMS) solutions provider mobileStorm for appointment reminders. At the time KP announced that the pilot reduced costs and helped patients enough that it planned to roll the service out nationally by year-end. On December 11 Kaiser Permanente officially rolled out its SMS appointment reminder service, powered by mobileStorm.

mobileStorm’s SMS platform enabled Kaiser to create and facilitate appointment reminders, treatment reminders as well as alerts that lab results have returned. The SMS vendor also outfitted the service with a short code “KAISER” to help the organization interact with patients. Assumedly, users can send text replies to “KAISER.” The text messaging platform integrated into KP’s automated appointment reminder system and reminders were sent to those patients who opted in a day before the appointment.

mobileStorm tells MobiHealthNews that Kaiser Permanente is just the first of many healthcare organizations it is currently working with on SMS appointment reminders, which could make the simple but effective application a break out trend for 2010.

For more on the deal, read this report from Mobile Marketer

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  • http://articles.icmcc.org/2010/01/07/kaiser-permanente%e2%80%99s-sms-reminders-go-live/ ICMCC News Page » Kaiser Permanente’s SMS reminders go live

    [...] Article Brian Dolan, mobihealthnews, 6 January 2010 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Kaiser Permanente’s SMS reminders go live", url: "http://articles.icmcc.org/2010/01/07/kaiser-permanente%e2%80%99s-sms-reminders-go-live/" }); [...]

  • http://jerryfahrni.com/2010/01/whatd-i-miss-week-of-january-3rd/ Jerry Fahrni » “What’d I miss?” – Week of January 3rd

    [...] Mobihealthnews: “On December 11 Kaiser Permanente officially rolled out its SMS appointment reminder service, [...]

  • http://www.GlobaltelMedia.com Robert Sanchez

    Thank you for this very cool article on the new SMS system at Kaiser Permanente, the true value of texting technology in healthcare is just beginning to be realized. At Globaltel Media we’ve tailored our SMS-based messaging solutions to be used for a variety of healthcare related activities, from sharing information between doctors, to appointment scheduling/reminders, to rehabilitation demos sent via mobile video. It’s always encouraging to see providers implement these types of programs, as it reaffirms the value of the technology in the space. Thanks for the article!

  • Mary A. England

    Look, no enterprise HC IT strategy would lead with ‘device’ evaluation. Ultimately, devices are afterall, just commodities, witness IBM sale of notebook products to Lenovo.

    The key is HC IT enterprise integration of applications, data access/stores, getting the patient-identified info to the right user, right timing, right data.

    Apple launched a trial balloon of a similiar device in 1995-6, called the NEWTON. How long did it take to recycle that concept?

  • http://mobihealthnews.com/12120/kaiser-permanente-launches-first-iphone-app/ Kaiser Permanente launches first iPhone app | mobihealthnews

    [...] Kaiser has been rolling out mobile-based services for awhile now. They had one the earliest high profile launches of text message appointment reminders, which they pi… [...]