Texting and emailing patients

Use Chats for day-to-day patient communication. In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication to open the inbox. You can also open a patient's chart from the left sidebar by clicking Patients, clicking the patient's name, then under Communication, clicking Omnichannel. A patient can have separate channel tabs for SMS, Email and portal messages, so choose the channel before you write. In some cases, the composer is replaced by a notice instead of an input box.

For the full inbox layout, see The omnichannel inbox.

How do I text or email a patient from Chats?

Use Omnichannel from the left sidebar to start or continue a patient conversation. Choose SMS for short updates, Email for longer messages or attachments, and In-App for messages the patient reads in the portal. If the patient opted out of texts or the thread no longer matches the patient's current profile, you may see a notice instead of the composer.

1. In the left sidebar, under Communication, click Omnichannel.
2. Select a conversation from the conversation list (2), or open Contacts and select the patient.
3. Choose SMS, Email or In-App from the channel tabs (3).
4. For a new email conversation, review the subject before sending.
5. Write the message in the composer (4).
6. Add photos for SMS, or attachments if you are sending email.
7. Send the message.

The message appears in the selected channel. Replies arrive in the same channel and update the conversation list.

How do I send a message from a patient's chart?

Open the patient's chart when you want to send a message without returning to Chats. The chart uses the patient's current phone number or email, not an older thread value.

1. In the left sidebar, click Patients, then click the patient's name.
2. In the patient sidebar, under Communication, click Omnichannel.
3. Choose the channel you want to use.
4. Write the message.
5. Add photos for SMS, or attachments if needed for email.
6. Send the message.

The chart and the main inbox use the same patient conversation, so your team can see messages sent from either place.

How do I work with scheduled messages?

In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open the conversation that has the scheduled item. Use scheduling when a message or internal note should go out later. If you schedule from a new conversation, Ona creates the conversation before the scheduled item sends.

When a conversation has scheduled items, the header shows a count such as 1 scheduled. Select that count to jump to the scheduled section. Scheduled items include pending and failed scheduled messages, with the soonest one first.

From the scheduled section, you can edit a scheduled item, send it now or cancel it. If you cancel, Ona asks you to confirm.

1. In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open the conversation that has the scheduled item.
2. Select the scheduled count in the header.
3. Open the scheduled item's controls.
4. Choose the cancel action.
5. In the confirmation dialog, select Cancel message.

Canceling a scheduled message discards its text and it will not be sent. Select Keep it if you opened the confirmation by mistake.

How do I unsend a message?

Use Unsend when you need to remove an eligible message from a conversation. Unsend is available for messages that have not left Ona, such as portal messages and internal notes.

1. In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open the conversation. Or, in the left sidebar, click Patients, click the patient's name, then under Communication, click Omnichannel.
2. Find the message you sent.
3. Open Message actions on the message.
4. Select Unsend.
5. Confirm the dialog.

The message is removed from the conversation. If another message quoted it, the quote changes to Original message was deleted.

How do I change an email subject?

Use Edit subject when an email thread needs a clearer subject line. Email conversations show the subject in the conversation header.

1. In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open the email conversation.
2. Open Conversation menu.
3. Select Edit subject.
4. Update Email subject.
5. Select Save.

The updated subject is saved on the email conversation. Email subjects can be up to 255 characters.

How do I keep a note internal?

In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open a conversation. Use internal mode in the composer when the message is for your team, not the patient. Internal notes stay visible to team members in the conversation and are not sent by SMS, email or portal message.

Internal notes use a different color from patient-facing messages. Use them for handoffs, reminders and teammate mentions. For more detail, see Internal notes and mentions.

What can't I do here?

In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication. Or open a patient's chart from the left sidebar by clicking Patients, clicking the patient's name, then under Communication, clicking Omnichannel. Messaging is limited in these ways:

• SMS appears only when SMS is enabled for your organization.
• Email appears only when email is enabled for your organization.
• You cannot reply when the patient has opted out of SMS or when the thread contact no longer matches the patient's current profile.
• You cannot unsend SMS, Email, call cards, system messages or messages that are still sending.
• You can only unsend eligible messages that you sent.
• Canceling a scheduled message discards its text.
• A new email conversation needs a subject. Use Edit subject if it needs to change later.
• SMS attachments are photos only. Use email for other file types.

To set up SMS or Email, see Setting up your channels.

Common questions

Where do patient replies appear?

In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication to open the conversation. Replies appear in the same conversation and channel where the message was sent. If the conversation is open, Ona marks new messages in that thread as read while you are viewing it.

Can I attach files to a message?

Yes. In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open a conversation. Email messages can include attachments. SMS supports photos only. Images open inline, audio attachments play in the conversation, and file attachments can be opened from the message.

Can I use portal messaging instead of SMS or Email?

Yes. In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open a conversation. Use In-App for messages that should stay inside Ona. Patients read portal messages in their portal chat.

Why can't I see SMS or Email?

Those channels appear only after they are enabled for your organization. A message can also become read-only when the patient has opted out of SMS or when the thread contact no longer matches the patient's current profile. An owner or admin can review channel setup in Setting up your channels.

Can I schedule an internal note?

Yes. In the left sidebar, click Omnichannel under Communication, then open the conversation. Scheduled items can be patient-facing messages or internal notes. A scheduled note is canceled the same way as a scheduled message.