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HIPAA-compliant texting

HIPAA-compliant texting: two-way SMS your patients actually receive

HIPAA-compliant texting means two-way SMS with the safeguards a medical practice expects: encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access, audit logs, consent captured and opt-outs honored, and a signed business associate agreement available on request. Capra adds carrier registration so your texts deliver, a shared inbox for the whole front desk, and sync with the EHR you already run.

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  • 30-minute walkthrough
  • No obligation
  • Nothing to install
The problem

Texts that don't deliver, inboxes nobody shares, consent nobody can prove

Patient texting fails in three quiet ways: the carrier filters an unregistered number, the reply lands on one person's phone, and nobody can show when the patient agreed to be texted.

78.6%

Attendance with text reminders, up from 67.8%

In a Cochrane review, attendance rose from 67.8% to 78.6% when patients received a text message reminder, at a lower cost than phone calls. Texting works, when the text arrives.

Source: Cochrane review, 2013

Marked sent, never arrived

Reviews of clinic software repeatedly describe reminders shown as sent that patients never received. Since US carriers began filtering unregistered business numbers, an unregistered practice number is the most common cause.

A personal phone is not an audit trail

When a provider texts from their own phone, the conversation is outside the record, outside role-based access and outside the log the practice would need to show who said what and when.

SMS first, with email and secure messaging beside it

The same reminder by text, email and in the portal

Switch channels to see how a reminder, a reply and a confirmation look on each one. Patients answer by text, the answer updates the appointment, and every version lands on the same record.

Same inbox, same record

Plain text, delivered through Twilio. Patients answer with a word, and the answer updates the appointment.

  • Reminder sentSMS
  • Patient repliedSMS
  • ConfirmedRecord + calendar
How it works

Texting patients in three steps

Most practices are texting from a registered number within a few days.

Register your practice number

Capra handles carrier registration for your practice's brand and messaging campaigns, so reminders and replies are not filtered as spam.

Capture consent at intake

Texting consent is collected on the intake form or at booking and stored on the record; opt-outs are honored automatically from the first message.

Text from one shared inbox

Reminders go out on your rules, replies arrive in the shared inbox, and every message is threaded to the patient record with who sent it and when.

Patient texting, in detail

Everything a practice needs to text patients properly

Delivery, consent, access and the record, handled in one place.

Two-way texting from your practice number

Patients text the number they already have for the practice and the message arrives in a shared inbox the whole front desk can answer. Assign conversations, reply with templates, and see the full history on the patient record instead of on someone's phone.

  • One practice number, one shared inbox
  • Assign, triage and reply as a team
  • Every text threaded to the patient record
See it in a demo

Delivered, because carrier registration is handled for you

US carriers filter unregistered business texting. Capra registers your practice and its messaging campaigns, sends through registered routes, and shows delivery status per message, so a reminder shown as sent is a reminder that arrived.

  • Carrier registration for your practice brand and campaigns
  • Delivery status per message, not just sent
  • Retries and fallback to email when a number fails
See it in a demo

Consent at intake, opt-outs honored automatically

Texting consent is captured on the intake form or at booking and stored on the patient's record with the time and the wording they agreed to. A STOP reply or an opt-out in the portal is applied to every future send through suppression lists, so nobody has to remember who said no.

  • Consent captured with wording and timestamp
  • STOP and portal opt-outs applied through suppression lists
  • Consent status visible on the record and in reports
See it in a demo

Encryption, roles and audit logs, with a BAA on request

Messages are encrypted in transit and at rest, access follows roles so billing does not read clinical conversations, and every message, view and change is written to the audit log. A signed business associate agreement is available on request as part of onboarding.

  • Encryption in transit and at rest
  • Role-based access and a full audit trail
  • Signed business associate agreement on request
See it in a demo

Works with your EHR and calendar

Appointments from your EHR or Google and Outlook calendars drive the reminders, a confirmation by text updates the schedule, and the conversation is visible from the record your providers already open. Keep your EHR; add the texting layer.

  • Reminders driven by your EHR and calendar appointments
  • Confirmations and reschedules update the schedule
  • Conversations visible from the EHR record
See it in a demo
Configured for you

Texting set up for how your practice runs

Capra is role-based and configurable; your onboarding lead sets these up with you before the first text goes out.

Roles

  • Front desk answers the shared inbox
  • Providers see conversations on their patients' records
  • Billing sees balance-due threads only

Templates

  • Reminder, confirmation and reschedule templates
  • Results-ready, recall and balance-due messages
  • Spanish and other language templates per patient

Automations

  • Reminder rules per appointment type
  • After-hours auto-reply with next steps
  • Waitlist offers when a slot frees up

Reporting

  • Delivery and reply rates per campaign
  • Opt-outs and consent coverage
  • Response times for the front desk
Connects to

The systems your texting has to stay in step with

Calendars sync today; your EHR and billing systems are connected during onboarding.

See every integration

Security & reliability

Built for healthcare, trusted with patient data

Defence in depth, from the first message to the last record. This is how we operate, not a badge.

Encrypted in transit and at rest

Connections use current TLS with HSTS, and stored data is encrypted with keys managed by our cloud provider.

Least-privilege, role-based access

Permissions come from defined roles, privileged access needs multi-factor authentication, and rights are reviewed regularly.

Monitored and logged

Security-relevant events are recorded, retained and reviewed so unusual activity can be investigated quickly.

Backed up and resilient

Critical data is backed up regularly and protected like production, with processes to restore service after a disruption.

Hosted where you need it

UK clinics are hosted in the UK by default; deployment in other regions, including the UAE, is available on request with the same protections.

Connected to your systems

Capra connects to the record, calendar, accounting, messaging and claims systems you already run; integrations are built with you during onboarding.

Works with the tools you already use, with human support in UK and UAE hours
  • Google Calendar
  • Microsoft Outlook & Teams
  • SMS (Twilio)
  • WhatsApp Business
  • Email (DKIM verified)
See every integration Read our security practices
FAQ

Questions, answered

What is HIPAA-compliant texting?

Texting that runs with the safeguards a practice expects when patient information is involved: encrypted messages, access limited by role, an audit log of every message, consent recorded and opt-outs honored, and a vendor that will sign a business associate agreement. Capra provides each of those, and never asks a provider to text from a personal phone.

Will Capra sign a business associate agreement?

Yes. A signed business associate agreement is available on request and is handled during onboarding, alongside the security practices described on our security page.

Why do patient texts stop delivering?

Usually because the number is not registered with US carriers, which now filter unregistered business messaging. Capra registers your practice brand and campaigns, sends through registered routes and shows delivery status per message, so you can see what reached each patient.

Do patients need to opt in to texts?

Capra records each patient's texting consent on their record, captured on the intake form or at booking with the wording and the time, and only sends to patients who have agreed. A STOP reply or a portal opt-out is applied automatically to every future message.

Can several staff work the same inbox?

Yes. The shared inbox is built for teams: assign conversations, see who is handling what, reply with templates, and keep the full history on the patient record. Nobody texts from a personal phone and nothing is lost when staff change.

Can patients text us back?

Yes. Texting is two-way. A reply to a reminder confirms or reschedules the appointment automatically, and any other reply lands in the shared inbox for the front desk to answer.

Is WhatsApp available for US practices?

Yes, as one channel among SMS, email and secure portal messaging. Most US practices lead with SMS, and WhatsApp is useful for practices with international or multilingual patients who prefer it. The same consent, inbox and record apply.

Does it connect to our EHR?

Yes. Appointments in your EHR drive reminders, confirmations flow back to the schedule, and conversations are visible from the record, through an integration scoped and built with you during onboarding. Google Calendar and Outlook sync are live from your first days.

What can we send by text?

Appointment reminders and confirmations, reschedule links, intake and consent forms, results-ready notices, recall and balance-due messages, waitlist offers and two-way replies from the shared inbox. Templates keep the wording consistent and the consent rules apply to every send.

How long does it take to start texting?

Most practices are texting from a registered number within a few days. Carrier registration, consent capture and the shared inbox are set up with your named onboarding lead, and the EHR connection follows the onboarding plan.

Explore more

Further reading

See Capra in action

Bring every patient conversation together.

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  • A walkthrough tailored to your team
  • Answers on setup, security & migration
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