A standard, phone number-based conversation gets created when a patient texts or calls you or vice versa. You'll know that a contact or conversation is standard when you see a gray circle with a phone icon next to the conversation or next to their name in your contact book. Once a patient downloads the app, you'll see a blue icon next to their name and then you'll be able to choose whether you'd like to call or text their personal phone directly or send them a secure message that they'll receive in their Spruce app.
In general, anytime you receive a phone call or an SMS text message from a new phone number, a new standard conversation will be generated in the app. This is similar to your personal phone; when a new number texts you, a new conversation appears in your inbox. Just like in your cell phone, you'll then have the opportunity to save it as a contact, thus attaching a name to it.
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Viewing Numbers Involved in a Conversation
If you have multiple Spruce business numbers on your account and a patient text messages two of your business numbers, you'll see two separate conversations appear in your inbox. The conversations wouldn't merge, even if they're from the same patient, because the patient reached out to two different phone numbers.
You'll be able to see which phone numbers are involved in any given conversation by viewing the conversation details. To view the phone numbers involved in a given conversation:
- Click into an existing conversation
- Select the "i" icon in the upper right-hand corner
- See under "Conversation Between."
This will tell you the patient's number involved and the Spruce number they called or texted.
Multiple Standard Conversations with the Same Patient
If a patient messages or calls you from a new number, this will appear as a new conversation in your inbox. If this is a number they'll continue to use to reach out to you, you can add it as a new number under their contact. To add a new number to a patient's contact:
- Visit their contact card.
- Select "Edit in the upper right-hand corner.
- Add the number under the "Phone Number" section.
- Select "Save."
Now when they reach out from either number in the future, all conversations will be stored under their contact.
If you prefer not to save the number in their contact, you can still associate the new message with their contact information by making a note that the message is regarding them or a specific patient. To do this:
- Click into the appropriate standard message.
- Select the conversation details by clicking into the "i" icon in the upper right-hand corner.
- Scroll down until you see "Regarding" on web or "Regarding Contacts" on mobile.
- Enter in the patient / phone number it is regarding.
Now you'll be able to locate this conversation within that patient's contact card.
Initiating Multiple Standard Conversations with the Same Patient:
If you have multiple Spruce business numbers on your account, you are able to initiate multiple standard conversations with the same patient. Each time you use a new business number to reach out to a patient, a new conversation will get generated. This is helpful if you have multiple team members who shouldn't see previous correspondence between the patient and a different teammate.
To initiate a new standard conversation with an existing patient:
- Visit their contact card.
- Select the "SMS" icon
- In the "To" field, choose which number you'd like the message to come from.
Please note that if another team member already communicated with the patient through one specific number, you will see that conversation appear if you send a message from that same number. A new message gets created if there was no previous correspondence between the patient and that number.
Finding your standard conversations
If you'd like to see all of the conversations (standard and secure) associated with a specific patient, you can view them within the patient's contact card.
To see existing conversations with a patient:
- Visit their contact card. (Either by clicking on the conversation title when in a conversation or from the contacts tab)
- Toggle over to "Conversations" (next to "Details").
- Scroll down to see all notes and conversations.
You'll also notice that the standard conversations within a contact card show which Spruce number was involved in that conversation. If you locate a standard conversation in the contact card, you should see the Spruce business number that was involved right above the patient name.
Deleting Standard Conversations
In Spruce, an admin or user who owns the phone number can delete standard conversations. Secure conversations, which show a blue icon next to the patient's name, cannot be deleted.
To delete a standard conversation, open the patient conversation, select the info i in the upper right corner to open conversation details, scroll to the bottom and select "Delete Conversation." Deleting a conversation permanently removes it from the inbox of everyone on your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when a patient texts and calls the same Spruce number, from the same phone number?
Both the call log and the text messages appear in the same conversation thread, so your team sees the complete interaction history in one place.
Does Spruce automatically create a contact for new callers?
No. When an unknown number contacts your practice, Spruce creates a new conversation thread with an 'unsaved' contact, displaying their phone number, which your team can then save to associate a name with that number.
How are phone number-based conversations threaded?
They are threaded, or grouped, based on the pair of phone numbers involved in the call or text.