Guide
Texting patients: a guide for nurse case managers
Texting patients can be done more safely if you get the patient's agreement first, send a secure link instead of health details in the message, honor STOP right away, use a service that will sign a Business Associate Agreement, and keep a record of every text. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
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Get agreement first
Ask the patient whether they agree to receive texts at that number, and record when and how they agreed. Texting rules also come from laws beyond HIPAA, so confirm your approach with your compliance adviser.
Send a link, not the details
A text can be read by anyone holding the phone. Put the patient's information behind a secure link that asks them to confirm who they are, rather than in the message itself.
Honor STOP at once
When a patient replies STOP, stop texting that number until they agree again.
Choose a service that signs a BAA
If the texting service handles protected health information for you, it must sign a Business Associate Agreement.
How CaseMgmt does it
- Texts go only to numbers that agreed; patients agree by email or in person.
- Texts carry a secure link; the patient confirms who they are before a form or document opens.
- STOP and START replies update consent automatically.
- Every text is logged, and every company accepts CaseMgmt's BAA at sign-up.
Questions
Can a patient reply to the text?
In CaseMgmt texts are one-way: STOP and START change consent, and any other reply gets an automatic answer asking the patient to call or email their case manager.
Try it with your own team
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