Fuerteventura Hospital Enhances Patient Communication with New SMS System
Starting this Tuesday, the General Hospital of Fuerteventura will communicate interactively with its patients via SMS to manage their specialist medical appointments. This initiative represents a significant step forward in modernizing healthcare services for both residents and visitors to the island.
How the new interactive appointment system works
The new reminder management system is an interactive SMS communication project that redirects users to a simple application. This innovative tool offers patients the option to confirm, cancel, or request a date change for their appointment if they cannot attend. Patients will receive the SMS with a ten-day advance notice before their scheduled appointment.
Through a personalized link included in the text message, patients can access specific details about their appointment, including location, service department, and time. The system then provides clear options for confirmation, cancellation, or rescheduling, putting control directly in the hands of patients.
A collaborative effort to improve healthcare efficiency
This application, created by the Canary Health Service (SCS), was developed in collaboration with the 012 Telephone Information and Assistance Service. It marks the first time patients have been able to interact with the system regarding hospital consultations, an option that was previously unavailable.
Adasat Goya, Director of the Canary Health Service, emphasized during a meeting with Fuerteventura’s Health Area Director Tomás Pérez and the island’s Health Services Manager María Luisa Naranjo that this application addresses the need to serve patients with minimal delay. The primary goal is to improve consultation management and reduce waiting lists in this area.
Benefits for patients and healthcare efficiency
“This new tool helps improve communication between the Fuerteventura hospital and its users,” Goya explained. “It allows us to optimize consultation activity since canceled appointments can be reprogrammed, thus preventing gaps in schedules from going unfilled due to no-shows.”
Island-wide expansion across the Canaries
The pilot program for this system began in May at the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Tenerife and the Hospital Universitario de La Palma. It has also been implemented in the Health Services of the La Gomera Health Area and the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil. The successful implementation means the system will gradually extend to the rest of the hospital centers throughout the Canary Islands.
