Overview
Building a campaign involves defining how patients enter, when messages send, and what those messages contain. Campaigns are created within the builder using a combination of triggers, delays, and message steps.
You can start from scratch or use an existing template, depending on your workflow needs.
Note: This video does not reflect the latest updates. We recommend watching it first, then scrolling down to explore the newest enrollment options.
Accessing Drip Campaigns
To begin, click Drip Campaigns in the blue navigation bar.
From here, you have two options:
Use a Template: Toggle to SKED Templates and select a template to customize.
Build from Scratch: Click New Campaign in the top-right corner.
Tip: To rename a template, click the pencil icon next to the name on the builder page.
Creating a New Campaign
Click New Campaign.
Enter a Campaign Title.
(Optional) Add a Description
This appears on the opt-out page so patients understand the campaignâs purpose.
Click Create in the top-right corner.
Choosing an Enrollment Type
The first step is deciding how patients will enter the campaign.
Manual Enrollment
Your office manually adds patients to a specific step.
Best for structured programs (e.g., pregnancy campaigns) where patients must start at a defined point.
Automatic Enrollment
Patients are automatically enrolled when one of the following trigger conditions is met:
Appointment Type
Patients are automatically enrolled when:
They are scheduled for that appointment type and
Marked as arrived.
đĄ Tip: Use specific appointment types (e.g., New Patient Visit, Report of Findings). Avoid general types (e.g., Adjustment) to prevent unintentionally enrolling too many patients.
Tag Applied or Removed
Select the trigger condition:
Tag Applied
Tag Removed
Enrollment Tags: Choose which tags will enroll patients into this drip campaign.
Contact Status Changed
Patients are automatically enrolled when their contact status changes to:
Active
Inactive
Inbound SMS Contains Keyword
Patients are automatically enrolled when they send a specific keyword by itself to your office number.
Keyword Triggers: Add the words or short phrases that will trigger enrollment.
đĄ Tip: Share your office number with patients and instruct them to text a specific word to automatically enroll themselves in the campaign.
Note: Clients can be manually added to any drip campaign, regardless of whether the campaign uses manual or automatic enrollment.
Adding Delays
Delays determine when messages are sent.
Time-Based Delay (Days)
Example: Set the delay to 0 days and send time to 7:00 PM.
Result: Message sends the same day the patient is marked as arrived, at 7:00 PM.
Appointment-Based Delay
An appointment-based delay triggers a message based on the number of arrived appointments that match selected appointment types within the campaign.
You can also control when the message is sent relative to the appointment. Messages can be scheduled to send:
Before or after the appointment using a specified number of minutes, hours, or days, or
At a specific time of day.
To define which appointments count toward the delay:
Click View/Edit Appointment Types or the settings gear in the top-right corner.
Select the appointment types you want to include.
Click Save.
Each qualifying arrived appointment will count toward the delay.
Example:
Set a delay for 2 appointments to send a message after the patient has been marked as arrived for two qualifying visits.
Note: The initial âtriggerâ appointment (when the patient is first marked as arrived) does not count toward an appointment-based delay.
If you want a message to send on the same day a patient is enrolled, use a Day Delay set to 0 days and choose a send time later than the latest possible arrival time for that day.
Combined Delay Options
You can use advanced delay logic to control when messages are sent:
Either/Or Condition
The message will send when either the day-based delay or the appointment-based delay is metâwhichever occurs first.
Both Conditions Required
The message will send only after both conditions are met (e.g., after 2 days and 2 appointments).
Important Delay Rules
Delays are sequential: Each delay is calculated from the previous stepânot the initial trigger.
Example: 3, 6, 9 days = each step is 3 days apart.
Day-based delays require a send time.
Appointment-based delays allow flexibility:
Send before or after an appointment (e.g., 1 hour after arrival).
Or send at a specific time of day.
Timing Note:
If a message is set to send at a specific time and the qualifying appointment happens after that time, the message will send the next day.
Adding Message Content
Once youâve set a delay, you can add message content by clicking the message step (or adding one if needed).
Select your delivery method
Enter your message copy
Click Save in the top-right corner
Note: Renaming steps can help keep your campaign organizedâespecially when manually enrolling patientsâso itâs clear which step they should be added to. To rename a step, click the pencil icon next to the message name then click Save.
Continuing to Build Your Campaign
Continue building your campaign by adding additional delays or message steps.
Click the plus (+) icon between steps or at the end of the campaign to add a new step
Choose Send Message or Add Delay
Click the three-dot (âŻ) menu on any step to:
Rename
Duplicate
Delete
Tip: Duplicating steps can save timeâespecially if youâre using similar delays. You can quickly copy a step and then add or adjust the message content as needed.
Tip: You can easily rearrange steps by dragging them into the desired order.
Finalizing the Campaign
Once all steps and messages are configured:
Click Enable in the top-right corner.
Click Save.
Note: Drip campaigns are never retroactive. Patients will only get automatically enrolled going forward after the drip campaign is enabled.
Key Takeaways
Use descriptive titles and step names for clarity.
Choose specific appointment types for accurate enrollment.
Each new delay is measured from the previous step, not campaign start.
Both day-based and appointment-based delays are available, including combined options for more control.
Reorder, duplicate, and edit steps for efficient campaign construction.
Always set a send time for day-based delays.
Conclusion
Carefully configuring drip campaigns in SKED allows your office to automate patient engagement while maintaining control over enrollment and messaging schedules. Follow these steps to ensure relevant, timely communication with your patients.