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SMS Appointment Reminders for Australian Medical & Dental Practices

Etisia adds automatic SMS reminders, cancellation links and optional feedback requests to Google Calendar, helping your practice reduce forgotten appointments without replacing your existing workflow.

Estimate unused appointment time

No credit card required. Free SMS included.

SMS reminders, Optional feedback, Cancellation links

Google Calendar
TODAY
7
TOMORROW
8
09:00
Lisa Jones (SMS sent ✅)
10:00
Eva Davies (SMS sent ✅)
11:00
12:00
Jane Smith (SMS sent ✅)
13:00
14:00
Anna Taylor (SMS ready ✅)
Add patient mobile number
15:00
16:00
0412 345 678 (SMS sent ✅)
14:02
HH
Harbour Health PracticeToday, 14:02

When appointment time is left unused, the whole diary feels it

Missed appointments and late cancellations are more than a reception inconvenience. They can leave clinician time, chair time and room time unused, while other patients may still be waiting for an available appointment. A simple SMS reminder with a cancellation link gives patients a practical way to confirm, cancel or change their appointment before the slot is lost at short notice.

For reception teams

Reduce reminder phone calls and give patients a simple cancellation link, so your team can spend less time chasing confirmations and more time helping people in the clinic.

For patients

A short, privacy-aware SMS makes it easier to remember the appointment and cancel early if plans change, without needing to call during busy practice hours.

Fewer forgotten appointments Patients are busy, and appointments booked days or weeks ahead can be easy to miss. Etisia sends automatic SMS appointment reminders from Google Calendar so patients receive a clear reminder before their visit.

Cancellation links make the diary easier to manage When a patient cannot attend, a cancellation link gives them a quick way to let the practice know. That can help reception see changes sooner and make better use of time left open in the diary.

Privacy-aware messages for healthcare settings Medical and dental SMS reminders should be short and neutral. Etisia templates can avoid sensitive details and use wording such as "Your appointment at {PracticeName}" rather than naming a treatment, diagnosis or private reason for the visit.

Works with Google Calendar, not instead of your whole practice system Etisia is for practices that already use Google Calendar as part of their appointment workflow. It adds automated SMS reminders, cancellation links and optional feedback requests without forcing the team to adopt a new booking platform.

Estimate the impact of missed appointments

Use this calculator as a practical estimate, not a guarantee. Enter your own appointment value and missed-appointment pattern to understand how much reserved appointment time may be left unused when patients do not attend or cancel too late to refill the slot.

Average appointment value

Enter an approximate A$ amount for a typical appointment. Use a conservative figure if appointment types vary.

Use the typical length of the appointment slot you want to estimate.

min

Use your own recent appointment pattern. This does not assume every open slot could be reallocated.

~6 appointments not attended or cancelled too late each week

Estimated reserved appointment value left unused

A$0

This example calculation is based on the details you enter. It estimates appointment time that may be left unused when appointments are missed or cancelled at short notice.

Per month

A$0

Per week

A$0

Estimated clinic time left open in the diary

0 hrs

Practical estimate only.

Actual results depend on your diary, appointment types, reminder timing, cancellation policy and whether the slot can be reallocated.

Estimate unused appointment time

Then see how automatic SMS reminders and cancellation links can support your Google Calendar workflow.

SMS

Best for short, time-sensitive appointment logistics: practice name, date, time and a cancellation or change link.

Phone calls

Keep calls for complex changes, urgent concerns or conversations where reception needs to understand the situation.

Portal or email

Use more controlled channels for detailed documents, clinical information, test results, billing matters or longer instructions.

Practical SMS reminders without extra clinical detail

Use SMS for appointment logistics. In a medical or dental setting, SMS works best as a short reminder that helps the patient remember the date, time, practice name and cancellation path.

Keep longer or clinical information in the right channel. Use your usual practice systems, patient portal or direct conversation for treatment details, test results, prescriptions, billing matters or anything that could reveal sensitive health information.

Separate routine reminders from marketing. Practices should explain how reminders are used, handle personal information appropriately and obtain consent where required. Promotional SMS and public review requests need extra care.

See the Google Calendar reminder workflow

SMS templates for Australian medical and dental practices

Use short, neutral messages that help patients remember their appointment without revealing sensitive health information. These examples are designed for appointment reminders, cancellations and optional feedback. Adapt them to your practice's privacy notices and consent process.

Booking confirmation

Template 1

Your appointment at {PracticeName} is booked for {Date} at {Time}. To cancel or change your appointment: {Link}
Standard reminder

Template 2

Reminder: you have an appointment at {ClinicName} on {Date} at {Time}. To cancel or change your appointment: {Link}
Day-before reminder

Template 3

{PracticeName}: Your appointment is tomorrow at {Time}. To cancel or change your appointment: {Link}
Same-day reminder

Template 4

Reminder from {ClinicName}: you have an appointment today at {Time}. To cancel or change your appointment: {Link}
Cancellation link only

Template 5

Cannot attend your appointment at {PracticeName} on {Date} at {Time}? Please cancel or request a change here: {Link}
Cancellation received

Template 6

{PracticeName}: We have received your cancellation for {Date} at {Time}. Please contact the practice if you need to book another appointment.
Private feedback

Template 7

{PracticeName}: Thank you for attending. You can share private feedback with our team here: {Link}. This is optional.
Optional public review request

Template 8

{PracticeName}: Thank you for attending. If you would like to share a public review of your experience, you can do so here: {ReviewLink}. This is optional.

Ask for feedback carefully after appointments

Etisia can send optional follow-up messages after an appointment, but healthcare practices should keep review requests neutral, voluntary and privacy-aware. Some practices may prefer to ask for private feedback first, before or instead of linking to public reviews. If a medical, dental or allied health practice uses public review links, it should avoid incentives, pressure, "5-star" language, selective requests to only happy patients, or any wording that suggests what the patient should write. Ahpra guidance is especially important because regulated health advertising must not use testimonials about clinical aspects of care, and Google policies also prohibit incentives and selective positive review solicitation.

Neutral by default

Ask for feedback from patients in a balanced way. Do not only ask people who seem happy, and do not suggest a rating or wording.

Private feedback option

Some practices may prefer a private feedback form so patients can raise concerns directly with the team before any public review link is offered.

Healthcare advertising awareness

Medical and dental practices should review how public reviews are used on websites, social media and marketing material, especially if a review mentions clinical care or outcomes.

Simple plans for small and midsize service businesses that don't want another complicated booking system

Google Calendar stays as the appointment diary. Etisia adds privacy-aware SMS reminders, cancellation links and optional feedback requests without replacing your clinical records, billing or practice management software.

Starter

$49/month

ex GST where applicable

For solo operators who want reminder coverage fast, without rebuilding how appointments get booked.

  • 100 SMS messages per month
  • 1 Google Calendar
  • Automatic SMS reminders
  • Instant confirmation SMS for new appointments
  • 24/7 Monitoring
  • One-tap cancel links + instant alerts
  • 25+ templates with custom fields
  • Import contacts from iOS, Android & vCard
  • Full delivery logs & tracking
Start free trial
No credit card needed. Free SMS included.

Pro

Recommended

Try free for 3 days — extra SMS on us

$79/month

ex GST where applicable

For practices that want appointment reminders, cancellation links and optional neutral feedback requests in one Google Calendar workflow.

  • 250 SMS messages per month
  • 3 Google Calendars
  • Automatic SMS reminders
  • Instant confirmation SMS for new appointments
  • 24/7 Monitoring
  • One-tap cancel links + instant alerts
  • Custom Alphanumeric Request
  • 25+ templates with custom fields
  • Import contacts from iOS, Android & vCard
  • Full delivery logs & tracking
  • Optional neutral feedback requests
Start free trial
No credit card needed. Free SMS included.

Team

From$299/month

ex GST where applicable

For multi-clinician practices that need more calendars, staff accounts, shared SMS quota and priority support.

  • Custom monthly SMS volume
  • Unlimited Google Calendars
  • 24/7 Monitoring
  • One-tap cancel links + instant alerts
  • Custom Alphanumeric Request
  • Optional neutral feedback requests
  • Multiple Google accounts if needed
  • Setup help
  • Priority support — we've got your back
Talk to us
No credit card needed. Free SMS included.

Frequently asked questions

The practical details before you try Etisia.

Can Australian medical and dental practices send SMS appointment reminders?
Yes, many practices use SMS reminders as part of ordinary patient communication. The key is to handle patient information appropriately, explain how reminders are used, and obtain consent where required. OAIC guidance says many patient communications may rely on implied consent where that is reasonable in context, but consent under the Privacy Act can also be express and should be informed, voluntary, current and specific.
Are medical and dental practices covered by the Privacy Act?
Private health service providers that provide a health service and hold health information are generally covered by the Privacy Act 1988, even if they are small businesses. OAIC examples include general practitioners, dentists, allied health professionals, pharmacists, private hospitals and pathology or radiology services.
What should we avoid putting in an SMS reminder?
Keep SMS reminders short and neutral. Avoid diagnoses, treatment names, test results, prescriptions, mental health details, legal or financial information, disability support details, and the patient's reason for attending. A safer format is: "You have an appointment at {PracticeName} on {Date} at {Time}. To cancel or change: {Link}."
Do SMS reminders need an unsubscribe link?
Pure appointment reminders are usually different from promotional SMS, but practices should still give patients a clear way to manage communication preferences. For marketing or promotional SMS, ACMA guidance says messages must have consent, identify the sender, include contact details and make it easy to unsubscribe.
Can we send review requests by SMS?
You can send optional feedback or review links, but healthcare practices should be careful. Do not offer incentives, ask only happy patients, request a "5-star review", pressure patients, or suggest what they should write. Google prohibits incentives and selective positive review solicitation, and Ahpra guidance restricts the use of testimonials about clinical aspects in regulated health advertising.
When should appointment reminders be sent?
A practical setup is often one reminder 24-48 hours before the appointment, with a same-day reminder for appointments that are commonly forgotten or booked well in advance. The right timing depends on appointment type, cancellation policy and how quickly your practice can refill cancelled slots.
Does Etisia replace our practice management software?
No. Etisia should be positioned as an SMS communication layer for Google Calendar, not a replacement for clinical records, billing, recalls, Medicare claiming or full practice management software. It keeps Google Calendar as the working calendar and adds reminders, optional feedback requests and cancellation links without forcing a new booking system.
Can Etisia work across several clinicians or calendars?
Yes. Practices may use different Google Calendars for clinicians, rooms, chairs, branches or appointment types. Etisia paid plans support multiple Google Calendars and shared team workflows depending on the plan.

More tools for Australian appointment communication

Missed appointment impact calculator

Estimate reserved appointment value and time left unused.

SMS template generator

Draft short, neutral SMS reminders for appointment logistics.

Compare plans

Check SMS quotas, calendar limits and team features.

Add SMS reminders to the calendar your practice already uses

Remind patients discreetly with short SMS messages that include the practice name, date, time and cancellation link

Make cancellations easier with a link patients can use before calling reception

Ask for feedback carefully with optional, neutral requests where appropriate

Start sending SMS reminders

Keep Google Calendar as your diary. No credit card required. Free SMS included.