Automated session reminders (SMS, email, push notifications)

Purpose

1. Automate reminders for mental health service appointments to reduce no-shows and enhance client engagement.

2. Automating scheduled notifications (SMS, email, push, in-app) ensures timely client communications.

3. Automation supports compliance, workflow efficiency, and seamless experience for practitioners and clients.

4. Automated reminder setup can trigger pre-session self-assessments, policy acknowledgments, and directions.

5. Automator ensures reminders respect privacy (HIPAA, GDPR) and support contact preferences.

Trigger Conditions

1. Automate by scheduling triggers (X hours/days before booked appointment).

2. Automating based on real-time event (e.g., new appointment creation or update).

3. Automator fires on appointment status (pending, confirmed, rescheduled, cancelled).

4. Automatable conditional triggers (e.g., only send to non-cancelled sessions).

5. Automated API webhook or polling integration with calendar or EMR systems.

Platform Variants

1. Twilio SMS

 • Feature/Setting: SMS Messaging API. Configure 'send SMS' with recipient, message body, and scheduled time.
 • Example: Use POST to /Messages with appointment data, automate resend on delivery failure.

2. SendGrid

 • Feature/Setting: Email API. Use transactional templates, automate scheduling using 'send_at' property.
 • Example: Configure dynamic fields for appointment details; automate via v3 Mail Send endpoint.

3. Firebase Cloud Messaging

 • Feature/Setting: Push notifications. Configure 'send message' payload to user device IDs at scheduled time.
 • Example: Automate notification by calling FCM HTTP v1 API with event payload.

4. Slack

 • Feature/Setting: Incoming Webhooks or Chat.PostMessage for direct reminders.
 • Example: Automated message using user handle and formatted reminder content.

5. Microsoft Teams

 • Feature/Setting: Bot Framework or Webhook for automated team/chat messages.
 • Example: Automator posts to chat using Bot API and schedule logic.

6. WhatsApp Business API

 • Feature/Setting: Use 'messages' endpoint for automated WhatsApp reminders post-consent.
 • Example: Automate pre-approved templates for appointment reminders.

7. Telegram

 • Feature/Setting: Bot API, automate with 'sendMessage' and scheduled triggers.
 • Example: Appointment message sent via chat_id with appointment info.

8. Mailgun

 • Feature/Setting: Messages API, automate email reminders with scheduling support.
 • Example: Automated message with dynamic recipient and appointment variables.

9. Amazon SNS (Simple Notification Service)

 • Feature/Setting: Publish API for SMS or push notifications.
 • Example: Automate topic-based or direct notifications with appointment data.

10. Google Calendar API

 • Feature/Setting: Automated event reminders and email/push notification configuration.
 • Example: Automator sets event with 'reminders.overrides' config.

11. Outlook/Office 365 Calendar API

 • Feature/Setting: Automate sending event-based email reminders using Graph API.
 • Example: Automated reminder using 'event.reminderMinutesBeforeStart' property.

12. Plivo

 • Feature/Setting: SMS API. Automate outbound reminders using message endpoint.
 • Example: POST to /v1/Account/{auth_id}/Message for session notifications.

13. Viber

 • Feature/Setting: Bot API for message pushing.
 • Example: automate send_message with appointment content.

14. Pusher

 • Feature/Setting: Beams/Push Notifications API, automate client side notification trigger.
 • Example: Automated push using publish_to_interests endpoint.

15. OneSignal

 • Feature/Setting: Automated push notifications scheduled via 'notifications' API.
 • Example: Set 'send_after' for appointment reminder timing.

16. ClickSend

 • Feature/Setting: SMS, Email, Voice API. Automate communication using endpoint relevant to channel.
 • Example: Automator uses /sms/send for reminder.

17. MessageBird

 • Feature/Setting: SMS, Voice, WhatsApp API. Automate outbound reminders per channel specification.
 • Example: Automatedly call 'messages' endpoint for recipient.

18. HubSpot

 • Feature/Setting: Workflow automation, automate tasks, emails, or SMS reminders via integrations.
 • Example: Use workflow to trigger reminder based on property (appointment date).

19. Zoho CRM

 • Feature/Setting: Automation rules with email or SMS reminders via integration.
 • Example: Workflow configured on appointment update.

20. ActiveCampaign

 • Feature/Setting: Automate reminder emails/SMS through automation builder with appointment triggers.
 • Example: Automator pulls contact appointment info and sends templated message.

21. Intercom

 • Feature/Setting: Automated in-app and email message triggers.
 • Example: Setup custom 'event' for upcoming sessions.

22. Zapier

 • Feature/Setting: Automation workflow builder, integrating multiple channels for scheduling reminders.
 • Example: Triggered via appointment platform, branches to email, SMS, push.

Benefits

1. Automating reminders reduces missed sessions and operational friction.

2. Automation maintains consistent communication, lowering manual effort.

3. Automatedly-managed reminders free staff for higher-value work.

4. Automator offers flexible customization (frequency, channel, wording).

5. Automatable integration improves experience and client compliance.