Sending mass updates doesn't have to be a chore! Learn how to use ALOHA® to send bulk messages to the right patients at the right time using powerful filtering tools and easy setup.
✨ When You Need This Guide
Bulk messaging is the perfect tool for staying in touch when you have important news to share. You’ll find this guide helpful if you need to:
Announce office closures for holidays or unexpected maintenance.
Share practice updates, like a new doctor joining the team or policy changes.
Run health campaigns with seasonal wellness tips or reminders.
Target specific groups, like patients who have an appointment next week or those seen by a specific provider.
Send emergency updates that need to reach your patients immediately.
What This Covers (And What It Doesn't)
✅ Using "Recipient Criteria" and date ranges to find the exact group of patients you need to message.
❌ Individual one-on-one texting
Prerequisites/You'll Need:
Active login access to your ALOHA dashboard.
A clear message or announcement ready to be sent.
✅ Step 1: Access Your Bulk Messaging Tools
Navigate to the CONTACTS tab in ALOHA.
Select "Send Bulk Message" from the menu.
Choose your format: Decide if you want to send a Text/SMS, an Email, or both.
✅ Step 2: Choose Your Recipient Criteria
This is where you tell the system exactly who should get your message. In the Recipient Criteria dropdown, you can pick:
Past/Future Appointment: Pulls anyone who had (or will have) an appointment in your chosen date range.
Last Appointment: Finds patients whose last visit was within your date range (no future appointments).
Next Appointment: Targets patients whose next visit is coming up soon.
Search by Name: Best for selecting a few specific individuals.
Tagged With: Reaches a specific group you've already labeled (like "VIP" or "Returning Clients").
✅ Step 3: Master the Calendar Tool
Once you pick your criteria, a dates will pop up. Click the dates to set your timeframe:
Select the Start Date: On the left calendar, use the dropdown to pick the month and year, then click the day. Double-click if you only want to select one single day.
Select the End Date: On the right calendar, pick your ending month and year.
✅ Step 4: Add "Additional Criteria" (Optional)
Want to be even more specific? Use these filters to narrow it down further:
Appointment Type: Message only patients coming in for a certain appointment like "New Patient Exams."
Appointment Provider: If Dr. Smith is out sick, use this to message only his patients to reschedule.
Note: If you want to include everyone in your date range, just leave these as "-select-".
✅ Step 5: Preview and Send
Write your message or choose a Saved Reply to save time.
Click PREVIEW to see your list of recipients. This ensures no one gets a message by mistake!
Pick your sending option: Choose SEND NOW or SEND LATER to schedule it for a better time.
Note: Images require accompanying text to be sent successfully.
💡 Common Questions
What You Might Notice | Why It's Happening | What to Do |
The list includes patients from years ago. | You might have selected "Past Appointment" with a very wide date range. | Adjust your Start Date to a more recent year (like 2024 or 2025). |
You can't find a specific group of people. | You might need to use Tags to group patients who don't share the same appointment types. | Create a Tag for those patients first, then use the Tagged With criteria. |
🎉 You'll Know It Worked When:
The system shows a "Success" message after you hit send.
Most messages land in patient inboxes within 15-30 minutes.
You see a spike in replies in your conversations!
💬 Need Help? We're Here!
Would you like to set up more advanced filters or need assistance with the calendar? We've got your back!
Phone: 800-563-0469
Email: support@getaloha.com