Why this matters. SMS is the channel patients actually answer.
Average open rate is over 95% within 3 minutes — vs. ~20% for email.
For appointment confirmations, recall sequences, and quick “running
late” messages, nothing else comes close.
How it works
Robyn’s SMS works two ways:- Inbound — patients text your AI number, Robyn replies in the same conversation thread (bookings, reschedules, questions, escalations)
- Outbound — Robyn sends reminders, confirmations, recall messages, waitlist callbacks, invoice chases, all from the same number
How Robyn handles SMS
Inbound booking request
“Can I get an appointment Tuesday?” → Robyn checks availability, suggests slots, books on confirmation.
Outbound confirmation reply
Robyn sends a confirmation; patient replies “yes” / “no” / “reschedule” — Robyn parses and acts.
STOP / opt-out
Patient texts STOP — Robyn acknowledges, marks the patient as opted out of all outbound, no further messages sent.
Question outside scope
“Can I take ibuprofen with my treatment?” → Robyn doesn’t answer clinical questions; escalates to the team.
What your patient sees
Robyn (SMS): Hi Sarah, this is Robyn from Bondi Physio. Just confirming your appointment Friday 9 May at 2:00pm with Dr Lin. Reply YES to confirm, NO to cancel, or RESCHEDULE if you need a different time. Patient: Yes Robyn: Great — see you Friday. If anything changes, just reply to this thread.
Setup
1
Use your AI number
Your Routiq AI number (provisioned during Calls Channel setup) is SMS-enabled by default in regions that support 2-way SMS — AU, NZ, UK, US, IE, CA.No second number to manage.
2
Confirm regional capability
SMS regulations vary by region. Routiq handles the compliance work, but here’s what you should know:
See your Settings → Account Setup → SMS page for the active configuration in your region.
3
Customise message templates
Settings → Outbound → SMS Templates for the default templates Robyn uses for:
- Appointment confirmations
- Reminders (multiple cadences)
- Recall sequences
- Waitlist offers
- Invoice chases
{first_name}, {appointment_time}, {practitioner}, {location}, {appointment_type}.4
Set opt-out language and footer
Per most regions’ regulations, outbound marketing-style SMS must include opt-out instructions. Defaults:
- AU / NZ: “Reply STOP to unsubscribe”
- UK: “Reply STOP to opt out”
- US / CA: “Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg&data rates may apply.”
Phone-number formats Robyn accepts
When patients text in or you import a contact list, Robyn normalises numbers automatically:
Robyn won’t message the same number twice in a single conversation (deduplication on E.164).
Costs
Outbound SMS is metered per segment (160 chars / 70 chars for unicode). Routiq’s dashboard shows usage and cost in real time — Outbound → Usage. Routiq’s messaging is charged at 10c AUD per message, in addition to carrier pass-through costs, which vary by region; AU/NZ averages around AUD 0.01.Common questions
Can patients reply to outbound messages?
Can patients reply to outbound messages?
Yes. Every outbound SMS is sent from the same AI number, and replies land in the same conversation thread. Robyn handles the reply automatically (confirmation parsing, escalation, etc.).
What about MMS or images?
What about MMS or images?
Inbound MMS is captured and saved to the conversation, but Robyn doesn’t reason over images today. Outbound is text-only.
What if a patient sends a clinical question via SMS?
What if a patient sends a clinical question via SMS?
Robyn detects clinical-territory messages (“is this normal”, “should I take X”, symptom descriptions) and escalates to your team rather than answering.
STOP — does it apply to all outbound, or just this campaign?
STOP — does it apply to all outbound, or just this campaign?
All outbound. STOP marks the patient as opted out across reminders, recalls, confirmations, and waitlist offers. They can still text in (inbound is unaffected).
Will patients see the SMS thread on their phone as one continuous conversation?
Will patients see the SMS thread on their phone as one continuous conversation?
Yes — every message Robyn sends comes from the same AI number, so the patient sees one thread on their phone over weeks and months.
Next
Appointment reminders
Set up automated SMS reminders before appointments.
Patient follow-ups
Post-appointment recall sequences via SMS.