Appointment reminders cut no-shows more than anything else a clinic can do on WhatsApp. They are also the point at which health data and a messaging channel meet, which is a decision to make deliberately.
The category decides everything else: the price, whether it reaches somebody who opted out, and the criteria it is reviewed against.
| Message | Category | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment booked, reminder, rescheduled | Utility | The highest-value message a clinic sends. |
| Results are ready — come in | Utility | Notify that results exist. Do not put a diagnosis in the message. |
| Health packages, seasonal screening | Marketing | Marketing to a patient list is where a clinic is most likely to get a complaint. |
WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted in transit, but the message sits on the patient's phone, in a notification preview, potentially in front of whoever is holding it. Send "your results are ready, please call the clinic" rather than the result. Zanii's AI assistant is configured never to state a diagnosis or give clinical advice, and the moderation policy blocks it before it sends — that is a security control, always on, not a setting.
Hi {{1}}, this is a reminder of your appointment with {{2}} on {{3}} at {{4}}. Reply here to reschedule.
Category: Utility
The double braces are variables WhatsApp fills per recipient. Meta rejects a template whose numbering has gaps, and Zanii catches that before you submit it.