During my morning commute today, I was greeted by this headline on NPR: "Utility Giant PG&E Voluntarily Shuts Off Power, Could Impact 800,000 Californians." I spent the rest of my morning reminding clients in California impacted by the massive power outage that they can use our two-way texting platform to keep their employees, patients and other stakeholders current with any relevant information during the prolonged power outage. Texting should be a primary component of any emergency communication plan for anyone — not only healthcare organization clients like ours, but all other businesses and individuals. While I can think of many reasons for this, here are three of the most critical: 1. Cell phone towers have backup generators, which means that when the main power goes off, cell phones still work. 2. More than 96% of Americans own a mobile phone of some kind, and there is a high likelihood that people will have their mobile phone with them throughout an emergency. Most people have their phone with them almost every waking minute, or it is at least within earshot. 3. Texting is a proven form of communication. Research has shown that 98% of texts are read and 95% are read within just three minutes of being sent. This means if you need to get a message out quickly and with a high degree of confidence that your audience will receive it, send that message as a text. Also consider the following: According to a Nextgov report, data indicates that a person who texts has an 800-to-1 better chance of sending a message to someone in an emergency than using voice communications because a short message (e.g., "imok" for "I'm OK") requires only four bytes using standard text messaging protocols. Furthermore, a Consumer Reports News article encourages texting over phone calls when faced with a disaster. Finally, a Public Health Reports study highlights the effectiveness of text messaging for communicating information to public health employees and improving workforce situational awareness during emergencies. The irony of PG&E's power outage is that I am assuming quite a few of its customers received text alerts because many utilities in the United States now use texting for emergency communication. This is the case in Denver, where Dialog Health is based. When my power is out, I receive regular text updates throughout the restoration process. We know when to expect power to return and do not need to try to call through to our electric company for updates. So, if your business has an emergency communication plan that does not include texting, ask yourself: What you will do the next time the power goes out?

Brandon Daniell, president and co-founder of Dialog Health, discusses how physician practices can effectively leverage texting in a new Physicians Practice column. In his column — "7 benefits of two-way text messaging with patients" — Daniell discusses shortcomings of more traditional communication methods and then identifies ways practices can reap the rewards of two-way texting. As he notes in the column, "By embracing two-way texting as a communication channel for patient engagement, practices can achieve significant improvements throughout their operations." Access Daniell's column on physician practice texting.

Akorbi now offers content and message delivery via two-way texting powered by Dialog Health Plano, TX – September 25, 2019 – Akorbi and Dialog Health are pleased to announce they have partnered to address the communication challenges and compliance regulations impacting organizations that support limited English proficient (LEP) individuals. The goal of this partnership is to offer client solutions that enhance communication with customers and employees, thereby improving engagement, satisfaction—and in a healthcare setting—patient outcomes. By combining Akorbi's interpretation, translation, and cultural expertise with Dialog Health's two-way texting platform, organizations can now create tailored content for LEPs in their preferred language. The enhanced platform allows for implementation and management of a two-way texting conversation with LEP clients in their native language without the use of a live interpreter on-site. “Dialog Health's passion is to help organizations leverage two-way texting to achieve higher levels of engagement,” said Brandon Daniell, President of Dialog Health. “By partnering with Akorbi, we enable clients to communicate in the preferred language of their audience on a device that is a favored communication channel.” Clients will now be able to notify, educate, support, and even steer someone to a richer experience. Importantly though, the platform allows people to initiate communication with an enterprise even if they don't speak English. An inbound text message is no less valuable than an inbound phone call or email. The ability to extend communication into a plethora of languages opens new, diverse markets for businesses wanting to expand their footprints and growth in these growing market segments. “We have always strived to help organizations increase their revenues, improve outcomes, decrease costs, and enhance workflows by offering custom, innovative solutions. By partnering with Dialog Health, we will make a positive impact on markets, and significant enterprise and financial impact on our clients,” said Edward Cavazos, Executive Vice President at Akorbi. ### About Dialog Health Dialog Health Inc. is a US-based company that provides a two-way texting platform to organizations which they can leverage as a communication and engagement channel. Two-way texting is a convenient, fast, effective, and affordable communication resource for stakeholder engagement. For more information, visit www.dialoghealth.com or call 877-666-1132. About Akorbi Akorbi is a US-based company which provides enterprise solutions that empower companies to achieve success in the global economy. We help companies connect with employees, vendors, and customers in over 170 languages 24×7, in any modality, from any location. Our customizable, enterprise solutions include technical and multilingual staffing, learning services, multilingual contact centers, video remote solutions, translation/localization and in-person interpreting services. The company holds several certifications, including ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485:2016, EN 15038:2006 and M/WBE Certification, and recently secured the prestigious WEConnect International Certification through the Women’s Business Enterprise. Akorbi was recently named the 9th largest language service provider (LSP) in the US by global market research and international consulting company Slator and the 11th largest LSP provider by Nimdzi Insights LLC. For more information, visit www.akorbi.com or call 1.877.4.AKORBI.

Brandon Daniell, president and co-founder of Dialog Health, discusses how hospital human resources (HR) departments can effectively leverage texting in a new Becker's Hospital Review column. In his column — "3 ways hospital HR departments benefit from texting" — Daniell explains some of the communication challenges facing HR departments. He then identifies three significant ways these departments can use two-way texting to overcome such challenges and improve the delivery of crucial information to staff. Access Daniell's column on hospital HR texting.

On the fence about whether a two-way texting platform such as Dialog Health is right for your healthcare organization? Here are just seven of the ways our clients benefit from leveraging text messaging. 1. Increased revenue. Two-way texting has been demonstrated to reduce late cancellations, no-shows and no-gos (i.e., cancellation of procedures on the day of surgery/treatment due to patient non-compliance) as well as improve gaps in care communication (i.e., patient recall). 2. Improve staff workflow and expenses. Texts reduce the number of voicemails left, redundant calls and overall time spent on the phone and cut the cost of other communication methods (e.g., mailers, flyers). Many facilities using Dialog Health report receiving an 80%-plus response rate from patients when texted. This result is even more impressive when considering that facilities were leaving voicemails for upwards of 80% of patients for standard communication points, such as post-op check-ins and appointment confirmations. Voicemails are often ignored or receive responses many hours, if not days, after they are left for patients. 3. Documentation of engagement. Organizations are required to track all communication "touches" between staff members and patients. Texting is essentially a built-in paper trail. For example, Dialog Health documents which staff member was logged in to the platform and sent a live text or ad-hoc broadcast. Such information is automatically stored in the patient record. 4. Increased utilization and open rates of digital assets. Texting is an efficient means of steering people to digital assets, including pre- and postoperative instructions, educational videos, payment portals, directions to facilities and pre-registration portals for the completion of medical and/or medication histories. 5. Reputation management. Facilities report improved patient satisfaction from using Dialog Health's texting platform. The platform offers a patient navigation experience where patients who require additional care can quickly self-identify to receive the help they need while satisfied patients are steered online to share their experiences. In reviews, patients highlight their appreciation for appointment reminders, ease of communication, support prior to and following a visit and other benefits associated with two-way texting. 6. Risk adjustment. Texting provides staff with an effective way of identifying and acting upon non-compliant responses from patients, such as those who require a follow-up call to discuss a matter or reschedule an appointment. Since the response rate to texting is so high and response speed is so fast, facilities not only complete more visits and reduce no-shows, but they can quickly identify open appointment slots to be filled, further optimizing the schedule. 7. Enhanced satisfaction. Organizations looking to improve their operations and patient satisfaction scores in the process can leverage a platform like Dialog Health to solicit feedback from patients and do so in a manner that is likely to achieve a higher engagement rate than other outreach methods. Check out our Case Studies to read more about how Dialog Health helps clients achieve these and other improvements.

Brandon Daniell, president and co-founder of Dialog Health, discusses the value of a patient texting for hospitals in a Becker's Hospital Review column. In his column — "8 reasons why hospitals need a patient texting platform" — Daniell shares facts, figures and anecdotes concerning several different types of communication channels typically relied upon by hospitals. He then explains why patient texting, including two-way texting, is likely to be a hospital's most effective and efficient means of connecting with patients. To access Daniell's column on hospital patient texting click on image.

Many Dialog Health clients implement our two-way text messaging platform with a specific objective in mind. It's only a matter of time before most of these clients begin leveraging two-way texting to tackle other challenges. For example, we work with an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) that initially invested in our solution to reduce its patient no-shows. After witnessing success in this area, the facility began using the real-time text messaging feature to send polite, carefully crafted payment reminders to those patients with outstanding account receivable (A/R) balances. It didn't take long for the ASC to see significant results, including the following: • Reduction in outstanding A/R balance by more than 50% in just six weeks. • Reduction in time-consuming phone calls and costly reminder invoice mailings. • Improvement in patient communication. The well-worded text message provided payment options and included a link to an online payment site. • Increase in efficiency. The easy-to-use, cloud-based platform supports the sending of hundreds of texts in minutes. • Increase in staff satisfaction since team members had more time to focus on other tasks. This surgery center is now exploring even more ways to drive financial, clinical, and operational improvements through our solution. We're excited to see how the Dialog Health platform continues to transform the ways businesses communicate with their customers. Want to learn more about how easy it can be to reduce your facility's A/R balances, decrease communication expenses and improve other pain points?

We just returned from the ASCA (Ambulatory Surgery Center Association) conference in Nashville. We are ecstatic to see the healthcare industry embracing Two-way Texting to improve patient engagement. When we first started Dialog Health many years ago there were many who said “My patients are older and they don’t text.” We have proven that to be a myth time and time again. We have one client that has sent millions of text messages to millions of their patients…who has proven age is not a barrier to texting. Not only do they have hundreds of patients in their 90s who reply to their text messages but their data shows that patients who are 55+ reply to texts almost twice as much as patients under 55. Texting is how we communicate today...no matter the age. Let's embrace it.

I always enjoy hosting clients and guests in Nashville. I used to joke that the city is amazing, now that we have indoor plumbing. :) Now I just suggest where they should go for food, drinks, and quality entertainment. Suggesting a music venue for someone to visit in Nashville is like having to pick the child you love the most. My suggestion is walk up and down Broadway between the Cumberland River and 4th Ave, and let the music draw you into an establishment. If you happen to go to Robert’s Western World - you can thank me later. For a drink, any place that has live music will also be serving up libations, but if you are really keen on seeking out the perfect cocktail, make your way to The Patterson House Now when it comes to food in Nashville, start with the list on Eater. Two of my personal favorites are Rolf & Daughters and Henrietta Red. Of course, Nashville Hot Chicken is a must for many people. And if you need any suggestions while you are in town, feel free to text me on 615 429 4252

We think this would be a great group emergency text message. :) Dialog Health's two-way texting platform has proven to be an essential communication tool during all the foul weather this past winter...from Ice Storms to Winter Bomb Cyclone (yes, I was stuck in this). We have helped our clients reach thousands and thousands of their patients and staff in just a matter of minutes with emergency weather-related #TextMessages. We look forward to the client who wants their emergency text message to be "GET OUTSIDE. THE SUN IS OUT." Are you that client? #textmessage #sms #healthcare #grouptext #masstext #broadcastsms # textingsolutions #cloudbased

We always talk about our best-in-class healthcare texting solution.... sometimes we forget to mention how great it is for other popular use cases. Reducing accounts receivables is just another great way to use our two-way texting platform.... we even have a case study on it. But don't take our word for it... INCREASED CASH FLOW BY REDUCING ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES BY 54% IN JUST 6 WEEKS “By working with Dialog Health, we were able to reduce the outstanding balances by over half in about six weeks. My staff found the direct texting to be far more efficient and pleasant than making many phone calls, and not having to send letters reduced our expenses.” - Barry Cullen, Regional Vice President, USPI Reduce your Accounts Receivables using Dialog Health's two-way texting solution.

Texting is my most preferred method of communication. Yes, of course, I still talk to my mother every week and have calls with friends to catch-up but for immediate, need to know now information....I prefer Text messages. And guess what? I'm not alone. *According to Pew Research, Texting is the most widely used feature on smartphones. So when I hear a potential customer say "My patients just don't text." I just smile and say let's ask them...I think you'll be surprised.