The whole point is that the first text isn't a surprise.
Patients engage far better when someone told them it was coming and why it matters to their provider. This is the talk track — front desk first, provider second, plus the answers to the questions patients actually ask.
First, name the program
SaRA is never shown to your patients. No logo, no brand, no mention required — the messages come from your clinic and your provider. So give the program a name your patients will recognize:
Most clinics use something like "[Clinic Name] Connect", "[Clinic Name] Path", or "The [Clinic Name] Experience".
Solo practitioners often go with "Robo [First Name]" — playful, honest that some of it is automated, and it keeps the connection to you: "Robo Bailey sends the daily message, but real Bailey reads what you send back."
Avoid the word "monitoring" with patients. It is the correct clinical term and exactly the wrong word to say out loud — it lands as surveillance. Say "checking in", "staying connected", or "keeping up with how you're doing".
The three things to establish
This is standard, not special. "All of our patients are enrolled." Without this, patients conclude either they must be really worried about me or they think I won't do my exercises. Both are bad starts.
This is ongoing, and it's light. One message each weekday, throughout their care. Set the frequency expectation up front so it never feels like a surprise escalation.
Their replies get used — say so in "I" language. This is the one that drives response rates. Not "the system tracks your progress" but "I use your answers to prepare for your next visit."
Do not promise daily replies from the provider. You do not want that expectation and neither does your patient. The promise is that their answers get read and used — not that someone texts back every day.
The front desk script
"Hi [Patient Name] — as part of your care here, we're enrolling you in [Program Name]. You'll get one message each weekday from your provider about how you're doing. Your answers go straight back to them. I'm enrolling you now, so you'll get a text in about ten or fifteen seconds — your provider will tell you more about it during your visit."
Then, once the confirmation comes through:
"You should have just gotten a text — can you check it came through? Perfect. Go ahead and save that number as [Provider Name] so you know it's the direct line to them."
That last step matters more than it looks: a saved contact is far less likely to be filtered as spam later.
The provider script
"As [Front Desk Name] mentioned, we use [Program Name] here to stay connected between visits. You'll get one text, Monday through Friday, asking about different parts of your recovery — pain, how the exercises are going, anything that's come up. Your replies come directly to me, not to a call center. I'll read them and use them to make sure we spend our time on what actually matters at your next visit. And if something looks like it needs attention sooner, I'll reach out."
The strongest version ties it to something specific from today:
"Today we figured out that your knee pain going downstairs is the thing to watch. On Friday I'll be really interested to hear how that's been going — I'll look at your messages before your visit."
The questions patients actually ask
"Is this a real person or a bot?"
Answer honestly: "These messages are sent on behalf of your provider." The questions are automated; the person reading your answers is your clinician. Never tell a patient a human is typing each message — losing that credibility is far more costly than the question.
"Do I have to reply?"
No. The messages continue either way. But their replies are what make it useful, which is why the "I" framing above matters.
"How do I stop it?"
They can reply STOP at any time, or just tell you and you will unenroll them.
When a patient gets frustrated mid-care
Sometimes a patient sends something urgent-feeling, or several messages in a row, and is annoyed nobody replied. Acknowledge and defer — your front desk can send this on the provider's behalf, and the patient does not need to know who typed it:
"This is great — we'll talk it through on Thursday."
It prevents an opt-out while the provider prepares a real answer, and it is periodic acknowledgment rather than a promise of daily texting.
Consent
The first text carries the required notice and opt-out language, so there is no separate form you must collect — see The first text your patient receives. Many clinics still prefer a written consent as standard practice; a branded form is available on request through the in-app chat, and we can share the language if you would rather add it to your existing intake paperwork.