Sending broadcast messages

Teleon enables you to instantly broadcast SMS text messages to large groups of users with a few simple clicks. Since this feature uses standard SMS on mobile phones, your message recipients do not need to create a Teleon account or download an app to receive messages.

Note: This SMS broadcasting feature is designed for use cases that do not require sharing of patient data (PHI).

Web/Desktop App:

1. In the top navigation menu, select the Messages option.

2. Click the Compose Message button and select the Message Broadcast option.

Note: You will see this menu option only if your organization has the SMS broadcasting feature activated

3. From the New Broadcast page, enter the message recipient in the Recipients field. 

Note: You can add individuals or groups as recipients. Teleon automatically creates the following recipient groups for your organization:

• All staff/organization members ("All Staff")
• All patients ("All Patients")
• All family members ("All Family Members")
• All staff members with the same occupation (e.g., "All Nurses")

4. Enter the message you want to broadcast in the Message field. 

5. Keep the first checkbox ("Allow replies to this SMS Message") selected if you would like the SMS recipients to be able to send replies to your broadcast message; the replies will only go to the SMS broadcast senders (members in the SMS Broadcast Administration group).  The other SMS recipients will not be able to see the replies.

6. Select the second checkbox to confirm that you have not included any patient data/PHI in the broadcast message.  Then click the Send button.

Afterward, you will see a new conversation thread appear in the Messages inbox with your new broadcast message. You can broadcast follow up messages to this recipient group by sending messages in this conversation thread.

Note: Follow-up messages sent in an existing conversation will only be delivered to the SMS recipients who were included in the initial broadcast message; for instance, if you sent a new broadcast message to "All Patients" and added several new patient profiles afterward, then all follow-up messages sent in this conversation will be delivered only to the initial set of patients and not the newly added patients.   

Mobile App:

1. Tap the Broadcast button located on the top right corner of the screen.

Note: You will see this button only if your organization has the SMS broadcasting feature activated.

2. From the New Broadcast screen, enter the message recipient in the Recipient field.

Note: You can add individuals or groups as recipients. Teleon automatically creates the following recipient groups for your organization:

• All staff/organization members ("All Staff")
• All patients ("All Patients")
• All family members ("All Family Members")
• All staff members with the same occupation (e.g., "All Nurses")

3. Enter the message you want to broadcast in the Message field. 

4. Keep the first checkbox ("Allow replies to this SMS Message") selected if you would like the SMS recipients to be able to send replies to your broadcast message; the replies will only go to the SMS broadcast senders (members in the SMS Broadcast Administration group).  The other SMS recipients will not be able to see the replies.

5. Select the second checkbox to confirm that you have not included any patient data/PHI in the broadcast message.  Then tap the Send button.

Afterward, you will see a new conversation thread appear in the Messages inbox with your new broadcast message. You can broadcast follow up messages to this recipient group by sending messages in this conversation thread.

Note: Follow-up messages sent in an existing conversation will only be delivered to the SMS recipients who were part of the initial broadcast message; for instance, if you sent a new broadcast message to "All Patients" and added several new patient profiles afterward, then all follow-up messages sent in this conversation will only be delivered to the initial set of patients and not the newly added patients.