Introduction
TrackStat is designed to respect patient communication preferences and comply with strict legal requirements (such as TCPA and carrier rules) that protect people from unwanted messages. This article explains how to stop receiving spam texts in your business inbox, how patients can opt out and opt back in, and how staff can completely disable text and email messages for a specific patient.
1. Stopping Unwanted / Spam Text Messages in Your Inbox
Sometimes your business texting number may receive messages from non-patients, old patients, or marketing companies.
To stop these messages:
- Reply STOP to the unwanted text. This tells the sender (and the carrier) to stop sending future messages to your number.
- Block the sender - click the Edit Contact (pencil) icon in the Inbox, check Block Contact box and Save
Non-patient (not in EHR)
Patient (in EHR)
2. Patient Opt-Outs via Text (“STOP” Reply)
STOP replies are granular and only affect the type of message the patient replied to.
If a patient replies STOP to an appointment reminder text, they will no longer receive future appointment reminder texts. Blast and marketing messages are not affected.
If a patient replies STOP to a blast or marketing text, they will be opted out of marketing/blast campaigns only. Appointment reminder texts will continue unless they separately opt out of those.
To opt back in, the patient must text START to your TrackStat number.
Staff-controlled settings
Staff can manually disable text or email for a patient if a manual override is required.
Search for the patient in the Inbox or Patient Search. Click on the patient's name to open/view the conversation history. Then click the Edit contact info (pencil) icon to open the Patient Card. Use the Disable Text / Disable Email checkboxes on the relevant tab (Appointment Reminders and/or Office updates and announcements).
Alternative: Exclude patients from specific campaigns with tags
To keep a patient on appointment reminders but exclude them from blast, drip, or review campaigns:
Assign a tag (for example “not qualified”) to the patient.
In the specific campaign’s Audience filters, exclude that tag (red minus sign).
Just assigning the tag is not enough - the exclude filter must also be set on the campaign.
Do SMS opt-out preferences carry over from the EHR or a prior texting platform?
No. TrackStat does not automatically inherit or sync a patient’s SMS opt-out setting from the EHR/EMR or from other texting platforms.
SMS opt-out preferences do not carry over automatically. If a patient opted out in your prior texting software, you must set their preference in TrackStat separately.
How to ensure a patient does not receive texts in TrackStat
Search for the patient in the Inbox or Patient Search.
Click on the patient’s name to open the conversation history, then click the Edit contact info (pencil) icon.
On the relevant tab (Appointment Reminders and/or Office updates and announcements), check Disable Text and/or Disable Email as needed.
Click Save.
3. Fully Disabling Text and Email Communications for a Patient (Staff Action)
If a patient requests to stop receiving both texts and emails (or if you need to prevent all marketing messages):
Steps for Staff:
1. Go to the Inbox and search for the patient using the Inbox search. Click the Edit Contact Info (pencil) icon. Alternatively, locate the patient using the main Patient Search box and click on the patient's name in grey. Then click the Edit Contact Info (pencil) icon.
2. Click on the Office updates and announcements tab.
3. Check both boxes:
- ☑ Disable Email
- ☑ Disable Text
4. Repeat the process in the Appointment Reminders tab if needed.
4. Click the blue Save button.
Once saved, the patient will no longer receive any automated emails or text messages from your practice. You can also uncheck these boxes if the patient would like to opt back in.
Alternative Method for Campaigns:
- Assign the patient a "not qualified” tag (or any custom tag you prefer).
- When creating or editing a campaign, go to the Audience section → Filters, exclude patients with the tag from the campaign by checking the box next to the tag until you see a red minus sign (exclude). This will exclude all patients with the "not qualified" tag from the campaign.
Important Legal Note
Legal requirements to protect consumers from spam are very strict. Patients must personally request to resume text messages by texting “START”. Staff cannot bypass opt-outs. Always respect these preferences to remain compliant.
Troubleshooting
- Patient says they texted “STOP” by mistake → Ask them to text “START” to resume texts.
- You disabled communications but the patient still receives something → Double-check that both “Disable Email” and “Disable Text” boxes are checked for both Office updates and announcements tab and Appointment Reminders tab and the changes were saved.
- Still receiving spam after replying “STOP” → Some carriers may require additional time or multiple “STOP” replies.
Keywords
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