Industry Focus: SMS proves vital in the Healthcare Sector

SMS Messaging in Healthcare

During the pandemic, the Irish Healthcare sector have been under immense pressure and the frontline healthcare professionals within it are often overstretched. There has never been a more important time to ensure that communications are on point and SMS messaging is flexible, immediate and concise enough to ensure that vital communications are received and read on time by staff and customers.

Púca is fortunate to work with a number of high profile clients in the Healthcare Sector throughout Ireland such as the HSE Vaccine programmes, the Kildare and West Wicklow Doctors on Call, McCauley Health & Beauty Pharmacy and the Irish Pharmacy Union.  We have seen a significant uptick in messaging traffic in this sector recently during the Covid pandemic so let’s take a closer look at how two of our clients have been using SMS.

Irish Pharmacy Union

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) is one such client who have been using SMS to actively inform their member base about available information. Over 2,200 pharmacists are registered as members of the IPU – the vast majority of whom are community pharmacists. This represents 95% of community pharmacies in Ireland. The IPU’s online Covid resource centre contains a comprehensive set of regulations, guidelines, risk assessments, contingency plans and much more, as well as information on employment supports and PPE.

Ciara Browne at the IPU had this to say about how SMS has proven vital during the pandemic;

“Púca’s messaging platform has really come into its own during the pandemic when we have had to notify our member pharmacies of time-sensitive Covid and vaccination updates, important emails and system notifications. As a result, our SMS volumes were up more than threefold during the first half of the year and we see SMS as being a key part of our communications for years to come”

Ciara Browne, Irish Pharmacy Union

Healthcare Recruitment

Health Business Services (HBS) is the HSE’s recruitment department who send out SMS alerts to healthcare candidates locally and globally to notify them of vacancies or interview appointments. With SMS boasting a 98% open rate it is the most effective way of reaching busy candidates on the move. 

The Be on Call for Ireland initiative of the HBS was created to harness any additional potential in the employment market and following its launch on 17th March was successful in recruiting thousands of experienced staff to medical and contact tracing roles during the first wave of the pandemic. “Significant redeployment and restructuring is taking place to support all aspects of the services including residential settings” (Be On Call for Ireland initiative sees 72,000 applicants, RTE.ie).

Image source: RTÉ News

Accessible services

In addition to health services, SMS can also pay an important role for the vulnerable or less able in our society to access emergency and community services. Two examples of accessible SMS services that we are proud to be involved in are the 112 Emergency Service for the Deaf and the Community Call initiative which is overseen by Ireland’s Local authorities.

If you would like more information on our SMS solutions for Healthcare please contact us.

Feature Image source: Irish Pharmacy Union