📅 What’s the Difference Between a Recall and a Reactivation?

🔁 Recall

A Recall Campaign is designed to remind patients to schedule or attend follow-up appointments. The goal of these campaigns is to encourage timely health check-ups and improve patient care outcomes.

It’s based on the Recall Date you’ve set in your EHR or PMS system.
Once that date arrives, Aloha automatically sends a text and email to the patient encouraging them to book their next visit.
Best for: Practices that actively use the recall section in their EHR to manage future patient visits.

The system continuously evaluates eligibility and delivers messages accordingly, ensuring reminders are sent only to patients meeting specific criteria.

✅ Example: You set a patient’s next eye exam for 12 months out. When that date comes, Aloha sends a friendly reminder

🔓 Reactivation

A Reactivation campaign is used to bring back patients who haven’t been seen in a while.

Aloha checks each patient's last attended appointment and whether they have a future visit scheduled.
If they haven’t been back in a while and nothing is booked, we send a reactivation message to encourage them to return.
Best for: Practices that don’t use recall dates in the EHR or want to target patients who’ve gone inactive.

✅ Example: A patient hasn’t visited in 9 months, and no future appointment is scheduled. Aloha sends a message like: “We miss you! Ready to schedule your next visit?”

💡 When to Use Each

Use Recall If...	Use Reactivation If...
You’re entering Recall Dates in your EHR	You’re not using Recall Dates
You want reminders to go out on a specific date	You want reminders to go out based on inactivity
You have a structured recall workflow	You want to reconnect with past patients

💬 Still not sure which to use? Reach out to Aloha Support—we’re happy to help you pick the best option for your workflow.

🔗 Related Article:

Reactivation Campaign