Text Messaging at Henry Ford Health

Henry Ford Health recently upgraded our patient text messaging system. This new system will make it easier for you to get text messages about your visits, information related to your MyChart account, prescription reminders, announcements, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Text Messaging

• How do I manage my communication preferences?
• How do I unsubscribe from text messaging?
• What should I do if I accidently typed “STOP”?
• What phone numbers will text messages come from?
• Can patients with non-US phone numbers receive text messages?
• Why am I getting an error when I try to respond to text messages?

How do I manage my communication preferences?

• If you do not already get text messages from Henry Ford Health but would like to start getting them, follow the steps below to update your communication preferences or refer to our tip sheet
  1. Login to MyChart.
  2. From the “Your Menu” button search and select “Communication preferences.”
  
  3. In “Settings,” select ‘Text message’ so there is a green check next to it.
  4. Within Communications Preferences you can change your preferences globally under General or select preferences for specific message types under details
  
• You can change your selections at any time.
• You can have different communication preferences for different message types, such as appointment notices, billing, health reminders and others.
  
  
• Do not forget to save your changes in the lower left corner.

How do I unsubscribe from text messaging?

To unsubscribe from text messaging completely, you can type “STOP” in response to a text message at any time. Note that this will unsubscribe you from receiving any text messages, from this phone number, in the future, not just for that specific appointment or encounter. If you want to unsubscribe to some, but not all text messages, log into MyChart and go to Communication Preferences, see instructions above.

What should I do if I accidently typed “STOP”?

If you mistakenly unsubscribed from text messaging you can type “START” in response to the text message at any time to be opted back in for text messages or log into MyChart to update your Communication Preferences, see instructions above.

What phone numbers will text messages come from?

There are now two numbers associated with Henry Ford Health that you may get a text from.

• 53842 is the primary number that will send text messages about your care, including but not limited to:
  
  • Updates about your appointments
  • Prescription reminders
  • Billing notifications
  • MyChart account information
• 50209 is the secondary number that will send Henry Ford Health marketing text messages, including but not limited to:
  
  • Service promotions
  • Health system announcements

You may also receive text messages from Henry Ford Health partner organizations related to Patient Satisfaction Surveys (91994) and follow-up calls after admissions or procedures (these numbers will vary).

Can patients with non-US phone numbers receive text messages?

We are not able to send text messages to international numbers, including Canada, at this time . We are working with our partners to include international numbers later this year. Please review your Communication Preferences in MyChart to make sure you continue to receive information about your care via MyChart, email or phone.

Why am I getting an error when I try to respond to text messages?

The system will only recognize specific replies, for instance “1” to cancel, “2” to reschedule or “STOP” to opt-out of text messaging. If you respond to a text message with other words, phases or emojis the system will not recognize your response.

Only type the number(s) or terms for the action you wish to make. See examples below.