Welcome message for a new patient: 11 templates to copy

What should a welcome message for a new patient say?

First contact and booking

1. 1. First reply to a new patient

   When to use: Someone who has never been to the clinic writes for the first time.

   Hello, and welcome to [Clinic]! My name is [Your name], from the front desk.
   
   Is this your first time with us? Tell me your full name and which kind of appointment you are looking for, and I will check the open times.

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2. 2. Welcome after the first booking

   When to use: The new patient just booked the first visit.

   Welcome to [Clinic], [Name]! Your first appointment is booked:
   
   Date: [date]
   Time: [time]
   With: [Professional]
   Address: [address]
   
   We are glad to have you as a patient.

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3. 3. A personal welcome from the professional

   When to use: A small practice where the doctor or dentist writes to the patient directly.

   Hello [Name], this is [Professional]. I saw that you booked your first visit with me on [date].
   
   I look forward to meeting you. If there is anything you would like me to know before that day, you can write it here.

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4. 4. Welcome to the parent of a child patient

   When to use: The patient is a child and you are writing to the parent or guardian.

   Hello [Parent name], welcome to [Clinic]. [Child name] has a first appointment with [Professional] on [date] at [time].
   
   Please come with [Child name] and bring [documents]. If your child has a favourite toy, bring it along. It helps on a first visit.

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Before the first visit

One message per subject, sent on different days, is easier to read than one long message.

1. 5. What to bring

   When to use: A few days before the first visit.

   Hi [Name], a short list for your first visit on [date]:
   
   - An identity document
   - [Insurance card or payment method]
   - Earlier exams or reports, if you have them
   - The names of medicines you take
   
   Any question, write to us here.

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2. 6. Arrive early for the first-visit form

   When to use: The day before, when new patients need to fill in a form.

   Hello [Name], see you tomorrow at [time]. Because it is your first visit, please arrive [minutes] minutes early to fill in a short form.
   
   If you prefer, I can send the form here and you bring it ready.

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3. 7. How to arrive and where to park

   When to use: The clinic is hard to find, or parking is a common question.

   [Name], to make your first visit easier: we are at [address], [floor or room], next to [landmark].
   
   Parking: [parking details]. Map: [map link]
   
   If you get lost, send a message and we will guide you.

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4. 8. Welcome for an online first visit

   When to use: The first consultation is by video.

   Welcome, [Name]! Your first appointment with [Professional] is online, on [date] at [time].
   
   A few minutes before, I will send the link here. Please choose a quiet place with good internet, and test your camera and sound.

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5. 9. Prices and ways to pay, before the visit

   When to use: A new patient should know the cost before they arrive.

   Hi [Name], so there are no surprises on [date]: the first visit costs [price], and we accept [payment methods].
   
   [Insurance information, if any]. If you want to check something about payment, ask me here.

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After the first visit

1. 10. Thank-you after the first visit

   When to use: The same day or the day after the first appointment.

   Thank you for coming to [Clinic] today, [Name]. It was good to meet you.
   
   If any question comes up about what [Professional] explained, write to us here. For anything urgent, call [emergency contact].

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2. 11. How to reach the clinic from now on

   When to use: After the first visit, so the patient knows how the clinic communicates.

   [Name], now that you are our patient, this is how to reach us:
   
   - This WhatsApp number, [days] from [opening time] to [closing time]
   - Bookings and changes: here, by message
   - Emergencies: [emergency contact]
   
   Save this number so you always know it is us.

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Five rules for a message to a new patient

• Use the name of the clinic in the first line. A new patient does not have your number saved.
• Write the date, the time and the address in full. Do not send only "see you tomorrow".
• Keep health details out of the chat. Do not name a diagnosis, an exam result or a treatment in a message.
• Say what to bring and how early to arrive. These are the two things new patients ask most.
• Say where to go in an emergency. A chat is not the place for it, and the patient should know that from the first day.

How to send a welcome message automatically

Use the greeting message of the WhatsApp Business app. It answers a first contact with a text you wrote. WhatsApp explains it on its own help page: How to use greeting messages. It suits the first reply on this page. The other messages depend on the booking, so they are not a fit for it.

Save it as a quick reply. The WhatsApp Business app has quick replies, made for texts you send often. WhatsApp explains them on its own help page: How to use quick replies. Save each message from this page once, then change the name, the date and the time before you send.

Let an AI agent answer. An AI agent on your WhatsApp number reads what the customer wrote and answers with the information you gave it: your hours, your prices, your rules. You write the rule once, in plain words, and the agent uses it in every conversation. A person on your team can step in at any time.

In a clinic, set a clear limit: the automatic answer covers hours, address, prices, what to bring and booking. Anything about symptoms or treatment goes to a person.

Questions people ask

More message templates